The Wild Card
by BlackProdigy
Summary: When Uchiha Sasuke, tycoon, cut-throat agent of Sharingan Sports Services, is handed the case of wild card Uzumaki Naruto, a twenty three year old, prodigy Football star, he takes on the challenge, not know he would get caught up in a primal lightning storm; Naruto
1. Chapter 1

The Wild Card

**Chapter 1**: The Agent.

**Pairing**: NaruSasu

**Rating**: M

**Summary**: When Uchiha Sasuke, tycoon, cut-throat agent of Sharingan Sports Services, is handed the case of wild card Uzumaki Naruto, a twenty three year old, child prodigy Football star, he eagerly takes on the challenge, not know he would get caught up in a primal lightning storm.

**N/B:** Yes, there is a difference between '_football'_ and '_soccer'_.

**N/B2**: I'm writing this from Sasuke's P.O.V. I've decide that our favourite 'ice prince of darkness' needs some redemption.

* * *

"No, that just won't do," Sasuke said calmly on the phone, while lightly tapping his foot on the pristine ceramic tiled floor of his office. "Fukimato- san, Momochi Zabuza will not appear at your banquet for a mere sum of twenty five thousand yen." he stated drolly.

"Uchiha-san," was quietly called out from the doorway by his executive assistant Haku. Holding up a slender, pianist finger to his diminutive assistant, a second, then a serpentine smile crossed his face, "Yes, fifty thousand will suffice... and yes he will be there on time...arigato."

He hung up, slightly smirking. "Yes, Haku?" he asked barely glancing up while marking down the arrangement on his organizer.

The little, but obscenely brilliant, man stepped into the hallowed space of the CEO office than only three people were allowed to enter, himself, Itachi, and the star himself Sasuke Uchiha. Cinnamon hair pulled back into a low ponytail, decked out in muted, knife edged seamed grey slacks, a bone white pristine shirt and a cashmere grey vest Haku silently handed him a folder.

"And this is?" he asked absently, glancing at the clock on the mantle to check the time, it was eleven fifteen; he had a lunch meeting at twelve sharp with all the investors of the company and his reclusive artist brother, and silent partner, Itachi himself.

"A new client." Haku said lowly.

It always screwed with Sasuke's mind that, feminine, gentle, well-mannered Haku had a baritone.

"Who?" He asked, tapping the details of his prior agreement into his PDA.

"Uzumaki Naruto, the just drafted, wild card of the Kohona's Wolfs. It was brought to our attention by Hatake-san. Supposedly an old friend of his was Uzumaki-san's late mentor. He is concerned the Uzumaki isn't dealing with his money and other assets like he should and he wants the best to deal with it."

Sasuke sat back. Hatake Kakashi was one of the most important investors in the company. If he had an interest in this person then Sasuke had an obligation to honour it.

"Hn." Sasuke pondered, reaching for the file. "What is his background?"

Opening the manila folder he was greeted with a photograph of a blinding blond individual with shimmering, artic blue, mischievous eyes and a cocky smirk.

"We just know that he was an orphan, his parents died in a car crash when he was two." Haku started, "His godfather Iruka, raised him until he was twelve years old, then unfortunately he died of cancer. He, Uzumaki, bounced from home to home until apparently Hatake-san took over the case. He sent him to a boarding school in Hokkaido, The Kyuubi Academy for Boys."

"Hmmm... good school..." Sasuke said, while flipping through the contents of the folder, "Known for its production of exemplary athletes."

"Yes." Haku continued, "After he graduated from there he took a trip to Bali, and went underground for some time."

"Underground?" Sasuke said, arching up a midnight eyebrow. "For how long?"

"Two years." Haku replied.

"I wonder what he did in those years." He mused to himself.

"He resurfaced in Tokyo seven months ago, playing football with a community club in West Province. He was spotted by a martial arts scout, who referred him to the coach of the Kohona's Wolf's . He was immediately grafted as their quarterback."

Sasuke flipped back to the picture, something about the image intrigued him. "What, exactly, do Hatake-san wants me to do for him?"

Haku shifted, "Uzumaki-san is unpredictable and unstable. He's known for disappearing for days without contact to his manager and he spends like there is no tomorrow."

"A child then." Sasuke deduced, blankly.

Haku remained silent. The clock was nearly eleven forty-five, Sasuke had to go. Standing up to retrieve his Armani jacket and striding to the French doors, the twenty six year old said, "Haku, tell Hatake-san, I'll meet him tomorrow at nine am sharp, and I want specifics about this," Sasuke paused "...person."

"I will, Uchiha-san." Haku bowed. It also freaked Sasuke out about Haku's strict traditional mannerisms. If he was in the Meiji Era, and being a woman, he would be a perfect shogun's wife.

He left and made his way to his personal elevator, down one story and emerged into the corporate boardroom. Most of the investors, ranging from the old traditional ways to the new world entrepreneurs, were already present, mingling with each other and comparing the profit margins of their respective corporations.

"Ah-hem." A small, discreet cough cut through the air, from an elderly woman, the matriarch of 'Raiki Publishing', the only one media corporation was trusted to faithfully report on the developments in the firm.

Slowly everyone sat down, the heads situated in plush, padded armchairs with their executive assistants standing directly right behind them; notepads primed and ready to jot down all the important information.

"Let's get to business." Sasuke said directly, cutting out the formal greetings. "Before you are the reports and breakdowns on the profit margins for the past year." He smirked inwardly, "It is my pleasure to report that the profit margin had increased twenty point five per cent, and the losses have fallen to two per cent, resulting in the hideous increase in all your bank accounts."

Low chuckles resounded through the air.

"And also in your folder is the temporary budget proposal for this year. Examine them to your hearts' desire, but I assure you, it financially sound... I should know; I went over them myself."

Minutes passed, then:

"Uchiha-san?" the marketing director of merchandise of Hamai toys asked apprehensively, "Where are we now on the Uami problem?"

Uami Jarai was a young client of Sharingan Services. He was a developing tennis star, and the figurehead leading the fort for a new strains of tennis paraphernalia that was to hit the market three months ago...until he started to take banned steroids and performance drugs, his habit discovered by a pink-haired reporter from the Kohona's News Network and his problem was then blasted over every media medium in existence, the radio, the television, especially the internet.

Shargian Inc. had to immediately pull his contract and dismiss him from the program. The media slurs and law battle had raged a full six weeks, until Sasuke had contracted a private law firm, paid them an obscene amount of money and the problem disappeared in two days.

"That problem is solved, Kenkai-san. Jarai-kun had been permanently expelled from this firm."

A sigh of relief went through the room. They had to liquidate the sporting goods to just manage and match the overhead price of production. Most of the toys and gears were donated to charities across the provinces of Japan.

"And how are the prospects for the Akamaru project?" someone else asked,

The Akamaru project was a pilot project under way, for older athletes to mentor young ones. It was a proposal by the Youth Arm of the Ministry, for two reasons, a, to foster a mentorship program sorely needed in the sector and b, to be in the spotlight, publicity is a must to raise investments.

"The Akamaru project is bearing fruit." Sasuke said turning around and switching on the mini projector. An image of the chess and Go prodigy Hyuuga Neji sitting one on side of a go board with a teen from Kohona Elementary School on the other side. Both were concentrating on the pieces, and miraculously, Neji, the ice prince, had a small smile on his face.

Another image of the enigma Momochi Zabuza; huge, hulky and dominating aikido specialist, demonstrating the proper way to hold a sword to a young boyish girl form the municipal High School.

"Any more questions?" he asked, black eyes scanning the room.

"What about the shares in the Rising Phoenix magazine?" Nakusho Imaki, the CEO of 'Images' the leading sports shoe store in Kohona asked.

"The shares are being bought. The rate for the share sales against the Dragon Master magazine from 'Red Sand Corp' is five to one." He answered smoothly.

"We are ahead then." One board member confirmed, "That's all I wanted to hear."

Sasuke smiled, mysteriously. "And I have another benefit for everyone...as of now, all the executive and managerial shares have doubled in worth."

A wave of shock ran thought the room.

"Really?"

"Yes really." Sasuke assured, standing up. "Happy new fiscal year everyone."

All the members slowly and regally left the room, leaving just Sasuke and the reclusive Itachi, skulking in the corner.

"Aniki." He acknowledged.

"Otouto." Itachi replied, levering his lean form from the corner he had situated himself in. "I see that you are in complete control of the company... I knew you would be the best thing for it."

A small smile flitted across Sasuke's face, it wasn't every day he heard a compliment form his older, genius, brother.

"Arigato." He said, "How's Bali...and you lover?" he asked.

Itachi smirked, "Bali is a hot a hell, and Kisame is hotter."

"Too much information, brother." Sasuke said rolling his eyes. "I'm glad for you though."

Itachi stepped up, right into his younger sibling space, knowing damn well that Sasuke has space issues. "And you otouto? You haven't been the same since the Hyuuga left."

Sasuke managed a small smile, faint memories of his past flame flicking in his mind. Shuffling some papers into his briefcase, "I'm okay...we parted because we weren't... that compatible."

"Hn." Itachi accepted the plain excuse, and it was an excuse, for what it was. "Try and get someone in your life. Sasuke, in contradiction of what Tou-san used to say, business isn't everything."

A sigh.

"I know." He hurried to change the subject, "Lunch?"

A cock of the head, lowering lids over dark red eyes, and a small whimsical smile; Sasuke marvelled; Itachi really had mellowed with time away from the stifling obligations of the Uchiha family.

"Hai." He agreed. "Where?"

"Ichiraku's." Sasuke said, packing his files up into a leather briefcase.

An eyebrow skyrocketed.

"Don't look at me that way nii-san," Sasuke said, not even looking up, "it's good."

"If you say so."

* * *

Home was dreary as always. The spacious, slightly bohemian decorated space was situated in the midst of the bourgeois sector of Kohona, catering to the disgusting rich and pampered elite; a chain away from a beautiful bay, sporting yachts of all sizes, private clubs and individual lawn space more than three acres of luscious foliage.

Exhausted, Sasuke kicked off his hand crafted Luis Vuitton shoes and deposited his keys on the small table in the foyer and running his hand through his hair, he sighed.

Flopping down into the hideously comfortable sofa, he closed his eyes and leaned back. Life was a routine for him. Get up at five thirty am in the morning, do a five kilo run, come back, shower, coffee (he does not eat breakfast for some reason), do some office work, get dressed, and ship off to the office. Work, work and work some more until his eyes burn, while being the most haughty and sarcastic boss on earth. Go home, do some martial arts, shower, eat, do some more work and got to bed.

And he was satisfied with it.

He didn't want even a microscopic shift in his life, business or social. He was very happy with it as it was; thank you very much.

Huffing to get up, he mechanically stripped off his cutting edge suit and just as mechanically put on his black silk Gi. Sliding the bamboo partition to his home dojo, he inhaled the calming scent of the sandalwood and acai incense that was always burning. Pressing the small timer that measured how long he was to exercise, he then started, unconsciously, going through a sequence of forms while his mind slipped off to somewhere else.

Sasuke knew he was living a lie but he ignored it. He painfully understood that he was just existing without know the purpose of it all. Raised as a prodigy of the Uchiha clan, a whole generation of business magnates, he and his brother were expected to do the same. Until Itachi, an unrepentant artist, told the status quota to fuck itself and after gathering his affairs in order, ran away to Bali, just after setting Sasuke (then just about to graduate from the University with a double degree in Business and Economics), up with an obscene investment to start a business of his own, he left.

Time slipped by.

While doing a series of kicks, Sasuke took a second to reflect on the advice he was given by Itachi, about getting a person in his life.

A derisive snort.

He didn't want another person to mess up his life anymore. Since coming out of the closet when he was a senior in high school, his case was constantly under fire from not only his peers, but his family also. Fugaku –may he rot in hell- couldn't look on his younger son, (or his heir Itachi) without a touch of scorn in his eyes and a derisive smile on his face, just holding back his cutting comments because he was Mikoto's darling baby boy and she would give him hell if he ever disowned him. Fugaku, it seemed, felt slighted and disgraced that both of his sons, magnificent strains of the Uchiha clan were gay.

'_Dearest daddy._' Sasuke thought, smiling inwardly, mockingly.

A small chime resounded throughout the space, indicating he was done. Sighing and running a hand though his wet hair, he exited the deep mahogany wood room and slowly made his way to his private sauna.

One of his most precious places in his home, it took his architect hell to design it and his engineer tears and pain to construct the lifelike copy of the mini waterfall that was in the middle of the Uchiha's premises. Sasuke, no bones about it, was a pain in the ass, with all his detailed, explicit and direct orders to make an absolute mini reincarnation of the old Uchiha spring that was the delight of the clan's land and if here was just a little modification, believe him, there would be hell to pay. Faux basalt stones climbing almost as high as the ceiling, dazzling, faceted gems mixed with river pebbles and sand scattered on the bottom of the pool, carefully cultivated plants and an imbedded music system that played recordings of muted birdsong.

It was a miniature haven, designed for peace and solitude from all the swirling madness around him. Sinking into the lukewarm waters he calmly went about cleansing his aching and tired person. Pausing a moment to appreciate the gentle fall of water and the rising misty haze above the gurgling pool he sighed again, staring into space.

And as usual, it was cut short.

A harsh, blaring ring cut through the air. His cell phone, which was placed on a ledge above the water, was ringing off the hook, with a specific ring indicating Haku.

"Yes," he drawled.

"Uchiha-san, my apologies for the disturbance," clearly the Yuki had picked up on the situation, "but Hatake-san says he will meet you at nine tomorrow."

"Anything else?" Sasuke asked, gearing up to get out of the hypnotic lull of the surroundings.

"No."

"Haku, send all the information we have on Uzumaki to my email...everything about his past, his finances, his hobbies... I need to know what makes him tick." He ordered.

"You will receive it in an hour." He was assured.

"Good," Sasuke smirked, "...and Haku-"

"Yes?" a curious tone.

"Tell your Momochi 'hi' for me." He said smirking and immediately hanging up the phone, while levering himself out of the bath.

'_Time to get to work'._

* * *

Stepping into his office at seven am sharp, Sasuke did a double take.

There was someone, not authorized, in his office. His sacred place, his utopia, his haven, his space..._his_ _office_. His left eye started to twitch...homicidally.

Kakashi Hatake, silver haired, scarf wearing, slouching, porn reading, non-assuming president of 'The Chidori Connection' the leading, cutting-edge, hybrid brand of sports racing car company in the five nations, was calmly lounging in one of his plush, grey office chairs, put there for just for appearance and certainly not for any kind of utility.

A twitch.

"Hatake-san." He acknowledged, forcing himself to take two more steps into his office. "How are you?" the pleasantries were coming out of his mouth like regurgitated glass.

His eyes narrowed, indicating a smirk beneath the horrible purple scarf he always wore wrapped around his lower face.

"Fine, thank you. Nice office gaki."

Sasuke ignored the slight. "How did you enter?" he asked, ready to decapitate anyone who allowed his old... 'friend'... to come into his office.

Kakashi's eyes closed slightly "Your beautiful assistant... I was surprised to know that he/she isn't under you by now."

Crass as usual.

"Thank you but no...Haku is involved with someone." Sasuke retorted, "And I would never get involved with one of my employees."

"Yeah, yeah...whatever. Anyways, I came to discuss the Uzumaki." Kakashi said, getting a serious tone in his voice. Leaning forward he stared the Uchiha in his eye.

"I'm concerned." Kakashi said, "His godfather Umino Iruka was my..." he trailed off.

Sasuke smirked, "I do not need to know what you two had, just get to the point."

"He left me in charge of Naruto, but I was overseas at the time of his death, so I couldn't attend to him. Only when I came back to Japan, I took over his case."

Kakashi rubbed a palm over his face, scratching lightly at his forehead. "The 'usurotankachi' is causing me to follow behind his footsteps, taking care of his commitments... and his debts."

"What exactly is he doing to rack up all those expenses," Sasuke asked, "...the investment into the Ramen restaurant I can understand, but the buying of twenty trampolines, the monthly provision of medicine and other provisions to the Kohona's Endangered Fox Breed Pound, the purchase of a water-ski, the construct of a home interior basketball court?"

Kakashi chuckled, "You've seen his credit report. Yes, all that and more. I'm just concerned for his finances. And another thing, he goes through partners just like his money... I've never seen him with the same girl or boy more than a week."

'_He's bi.'_ Sasuke realized. "Hatake-san, have you ever considered putting a limit on his expenses?"

A snort, "Please Uchiha, Naru will just find some other way to do what he wants, better I deal with the expenses than getting him out of jail."

"Hn...Okay, tell him to meet me at-"

He was abruptly cut off, "Nope, he's not going to meet you anywhere...we're going to him." Kakashi said.

Sasuke paused, his mind frantically seeking an excuse, "I'm sorry but I have a meeting with the governor for this district in- "

"No, you don't." Kakashi retorted, getting up making his way to the frosted door. His lean, tightly corded, almost six foot frame, dressed like a casual teenager, low riding jeans, sweat shirt and that mismatched scarf wound over the lower half of his face.

"How do you know?" he demanded, eyes looking like they would cut through steel. Kakashi's eyes formed a genial U shape.

"Your assistant."

Sasuke made a mental note to deal with Haku when he came back.

"Where are we going?" hoping to ever power it wasn't a restaurant, bar or somewhere unhygienic.

"The stadium." was the reply.

'_Damn'_. He mentally cursed, palming his briefcase and adjusting his tie. "Lead the way."

In the elevator ride down the fifteen stories, Kakashi casually said, "You know Uchiha, you really should get laid. You're way too uptight."

The Kohona stadium, built by the last governor over seven years ago, was miraculously, clean. Stepping onto the platform, overlooking the well tendered grass, the silver shining seats and, more importantly, the mass of hulking, steroids addicted, inane, barbarians constantly inflicting injuries to themselves down on the field.

Sasuke inwardly sneered.

"The blond one." Kakashi pointed out from their standpoint on the edge of the bleachers.

"Hn."

Turning around Kakashi took out his cell phone and call the coach; Sasuke could see the stout man, half a field away, answer.

"Kabuto, it's me...yeah...send Naru up... I need to talk to him pronto...arigato." he hung up.

Watching carefully, Sasuke saw the blond man, twist around to the vicinity of the seats, clapped someone near him on the shoulder and started a slow trot over.

Sasuke glanced down to his leather watch. He would give this meeting not more than thirty minutes, if it wasn't over by then, he would def-

"Scarecrow!"

Sasuke's head jerked up, to behold a tall, six foot two, muscle bound, helmet wearing, person invading his visual field.

"Naruto." was calmly returned. "Please take that unsightly thing off." Kakashi said, indicating to the mud smeared helmet.

Tan arms went up, and yanked the blazing red helmet off, revealing a mad mess of untameable hair, striking blue eyes, narrow nose with a sprinkle of faint freckles, and full, inviting pink lips.

The man, Naruto apparently, grabbed Kakashi by the hand and dragged him into a fierce hug, while babbling, "Long time no see man, where have you been?"

Calmly Kakashi replied, "Naruto, I saw you two days ago, at home. I told you I was on a business trip."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He released him, eyes dancing. They promptly shifted over to Sasuke who was standing a little behind the Hatake.

"And who's this sensei?" the blond asked.

"Naru, this is Uchiha Sasuke, the person I told you about, he going to– " Kakashi started,

"Babysit me." was injected.

Sasuke bristled, eyes narrowing to slits. "If you still act like a child, then you are in need of one."

"Whoa...kitten's got claws." Naruto prodded, head titling to the left, "Tell me S'uke, why should I need you?"

'_S'uke?' _the affronted Uchiha's mind screamed, '_oh no way in hell did he just do that.' _

Blankly Sasuke returned; "Because, clearly, you are the most irresponsible, reckless and inept person to manage his own finances."

"And you are?" he said crossing over his invisible proximity border and into Sasuke's personal space. A mix of grass, sweat, brut cologne and primal pheromones assaulted Sasuke's senses, but being the liquid nitrogen, prince of the underworld, his face depicted no reaction.

A small, deliberate raise of his midnight eyebrow, turning to Kakashi he asked, "Why am I here again?"

Kakashi uttered a small laugh, "Calm down Uchiha...damn you get more and more like you father every day."

"I'm nothing like him." Sasuke half growled, dark eyes flashing.

A raise of hands, "See, that's exactly what I'm talking about."

Sasuke's cell phone erupted, palming the small device he turned away. "What?" he hissed venomously.

"Sir, Hyuuga-san is on his way to the office. It was impromptu. He says it's urgent. Instruct me." Haku said steadily, his monotone voice slightly calming the Uchiha down.

Sasuke ran a hand over his face, his stomach clenching upon the chance of seeing his old lover, face-to-face for over six months. "Tell him, I'll see him."

Clicking the phone off, he turned to his audience, he said calmly; "I have to go Hakate-san. It's urgent."

"Okay, gaki." He replied.

Sasuke turned to the blond behemoth standing before him. Against his will his eyes took in the tight flex of corded muscles in his thighs. Sasuke felt like slapping himself in the face.

"You know how to reach me." He said with an imperious flick of his midnight bangs, spinning around he strode through the platform, acutely aware of the pair of eyes boring into his back.

* * *

Clicking the unlock button on his black Ferrari he got in, started the engine and peeled out of the driveway. The highways were slightly congested and Sasuke took the time to gear himself up for a meeting with someone he didn't want to see for at least five more years.

'_Fate'_ he thought, '_is a menopausal bitch._'

The ride up to his office was worse than bone crushing torture.

Sasuke's iron clad resolve was building up by the second. He... just... did... not... want... to... see... Neji. Breathing deeply through his nose, he tried to calm his frayed nerves. Blanking his face, he resolutely stepped out the elevator. Was it him or did the room suddenly become void of air?

Hyuuga Neji; tall, statuesque, brilliant prodigy of the clan was sitting casually in the lobby, legs crossed, reading a newspaper.

He glanced up.

Sasuke stiffened.

Like slow motion, Neji folded the paper precisely, got up and ambled his way over to the Uchiha. Dressed as usual in his beloved whites, Neji could be mistaken for an angel, what with all his perfect angular features, luscious hair, and brilliant eyes, he was a vision.

"Sasuke." He intoned.

"Hyuuga," he replied defiantly.

A smirk. "Aren't you going to let me in?" Neji asked, indicating the locked doorway behind him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "You know my reason Neji. I do not, under any circumstances, allow anybody but me, Itachi and Haku into my office."

"Very well," he said, "We'll go somewhere else."

"I just got here." Sasuke retorted.

"Yes," Neji answered, "And no you're leaving."

Sasuke took a moment to observe his old rival, for they were rivals in every aspect. Intelligence, business, competition, martial arts, even the very colours they wore were rivals, Sasuke love black and red, Neji fancied white and silver. Whoever said opposites attract were either dead wrong, or completely insane.

Not even turning to Haku resolutely ignoring them he said, "Haku, cancel all my meetings and if anyone calls, tell them I'm busy."

"Affirmative." He answered.

Sasuke jerked his head to the right, indicating the elevator. "Let's go, Hyuuga."

* * *

**A/N;** Why do I do this to myself...it's like I get these rabid bunnies that stalk me until I give in. Gear up all, this is going to be a ride.


	2. Coincidence

**Chapter 2**: Coincidence

**Pairing**: NaruSasu

**Rating**: M

**Summary**: When Uchiha Sasuke, tycoon, cut-throat agent of Sharingan Sports Services, is handed the case of wild card Uzumaki Naruto, a twenty three year old, child prodigy Football star, he eagerly takes on the challenge, not know he would get caught up in a primal lightning storm.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto

**N/B2:** I'm writing this from Sasuke's P.O.V. I've decide that our favourite 'ice prince of darkness' needs some redemption. And FYI, Italics are Sasuke's thoughts.

* * *

The cliché awkward restaurant scene, token occurrence with all estranged lovers, was playing out in perfect style.

They had driven, separate cars, to a small café in a reclusive, underhanded district in the south-east Kohona, named Akatsuki café, where Sasuke knew he could get away with murder...literally. Now, sitting across each other comfortable, eiderdown chairs, between them a sanded down mahogany table, their eyes met, black obsidian boring into pale opalescent ones.

"Sasuke-" Neji started, but was immediately cut off from the Uchiha.

"Let me accurately predict what is going to happen here." Sasuke started icily, "First, we're going to order coffee, mine black; yours mixed with cinnamon and milk."

Neji smirked, Sasuke ignored it.

"Fifteen seconds after, for pleasantries we're going to ask about the things we did in the time apart. After an awkward two minutes of silence, we're going to blurt out why we broke up in the first place, then arises the suggestion that we get back together for old time's sake, not naïvely realising that we are worlds apart. Between that and the entrée it going to be another long stretch of painful silence, then arises a suggestion that we go over the 'good' times we had, and a lament for what we lost. By the time we get to desert someone is going to end up staring at someone's lips."

Sasuke said lightly drumming his manicured fingernails on the wood between them, "Then, after the insipid desert, someone is going to raise the suggestion for another meeting, which one of us will decline. After that we go home, frustrated."

Black eyes drilled into the ones before him, "At twelve am, one of us, having a sleepless night is going to pick up the phone and call the other. After the person comes over, there is a hesitant invitation to have a drink, after that hideously bad sex, and ultimately half an hour lying in the bed not even looking at the other. At one am, someone is going to slip out of the room, carefully gather his things, go home and mope over the colossal mistake he just committed. Then we don't talk to each other for another five...six, months. Am I right?"

Silence.

Neji leaned back, ruminating over the tirade that Sasuke just let out, then a small smile. "Same old Sasuke. You never change, do you?"

Sasuke bristled, eyes narrowing to slits. "Why should I?"

A small shrug. "Anyways, _that_ is not why I set up this meeting with you."

"And what is the reason?" Blankly.

"I'm moving my account to Kikai Services...in Shanghai." Neji said solemnly, "I thought you should be the first person to be told."

A wave of calm washed over the Uchiha. So it wasn't what he expected after all. He relaxed.

"And what," he asked, "Is the reason for the switch?"

Neji; the unflappable scion of the Hyuuga clan, the untameable genius, the prodigy; sighed and let, for the first time, his defences down.

"I can't stay in Kohona. My past," he paused eyes shifting to the left, "...you... is haunting me and I just..." he faltered a flash of pain in his moonstone eyes.

Something, familiar like remorse, cut through Sasuke's chest like lightning. He squashed it down and decided it was just indigestion. A small quirk of the lips.

"It's okay Neji... I...you...don't have to tell me." He admitted quietly.

Their eyes met again, just not with hostility.

"You understand then." Neji said, a small tendril of brown hair that escaped from his ponytail falling at the side of his face.

"Yes," Sasuke said, checking his watch, "I do."

Waving the waiter over to them he placed their orders; a cappuccino for Neji and straight black for him.

"So, I hear Itachi is in town." Neji said a tilt of his head.

Sasuke smirked and raised a sardonic eyebrow, "You know I never understood your fascination with him anyway. What, pray tell, drew you to my artist, loner, sociopath brother in the first place?"

Neji smirked, eyes dancing in the low light of the café. "He was...different from all the 'traditional' Uchiha's."

"And I'm not." Sasuke said, leaning his head on his closed fist.

"You, sir," Neji said his voice verging on playfulness, "Are the epitome of the Uchihas; ice cold, nether prince, liquid nitrogen blood, stoic and detached...business first, life after."

"And you weren't?" Sasuke shot back, "I can positively remember all those haughty glares and sadistic sneers at college."

"Yeah right."

Sighing he sat back into the push seat of his Ferrari. The meeting with Neji wasn't what he imagined it to be. He'd thought there would be blame, frustration, anger, and guilt but, miraculously, it was pleasant.

Running his hands over the driver's wheel, his mind jumped back to when they met in college. He was in the business department; Neji was in the Arts section. To fulfill an inexcusable requirement of the college he was forced to take a course from another department; he ended up choosing 'Sociology'.

The first time he attended the lecture he was bored to tears. It was human history _this_ and human relationships _that_. Like he gave a damn. Scanning the room, he was surprised to see the son of one of his father's associates, Hyuuga Ichizoku.

A black eyebrow skyrocketed; he was pretty damn well sure Neji was attending some school in London. What the hell was he doing back in Japan? Weeks and months he observed the Hyuuga, insanely curious as to why he was attending Tokyo's premier university. He was studying in of the student lounges when he heard a sibilant voice behind him.

"Can't keep your eyes off me, can you, Uchiha?"

He started but instantly squashed it, not looking up he replied casually; "Hn. Same to you Hyuuga."

And so it started.

Their relationship was the epitome of scandalous; two sons of the premier business tycoons were together. Everywhere they went either single or together, inquisitive and irritating females would always giggle behind their hands and snap photos of them with their annoying camera phones. Even when they tried to be 'discreet' they were always in the spotlight.

Finally, after reaching their limit, they pulled off the mother of blatant exhibitionism in one of the Hyuuga's annual new years celebration. Kohona had never seen another scandal like that in it's history. The reporters had a field day.

Another sigh; he consciously repressed the memory and started the finely tuned machine. Past should stay in the past after all.

Home at last. Dreary as always.

Wishing for a small change, Sasuke put on some classical music. The room was instantly full with Bach. Sighing, he was doing a lot of that lately, he made his way to the seldom used, sterile kitchen and made himself a sandwich.

Carrying it into the study he opened up his laptop and sent a memo to Haku about the withdrawal of the Neji's account from the company, dead sure that Haku had already known of it.

Work stared him in the face but, for once, he had no incentive to do any. Instead he got up, crossed over to the packed shelves lining the circumference of the room and picked out a classic; Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Slipping on his seldom used wire framed glassed he settled down to read about the demise of a king. Lady Macbeth, Sasuke mused, was the primary reason he didn't want a female mate. The clock ticked to eleven, just when he closed the book and headed off to bed.

His bedroom suite was in perfect accordance with his personality. Midnight black furniture, simple white hangings edged with red, and utilitarian. No personal attachments anywhere visible. Crossing over to his recessed bureau, he silently opened a drawer and, hesitating a minute he steeled himself and took out an object that he hadn't examined in months. A small, black velvet lined box, containing a ...a...r-

He quickly shoved the box back into the drawer and slammed it shut. Rubbing his hand over his face he unlaced his robe and slipped into the contrasting white silk sheets. Placing his cell phone on the night table he enabled the alarm system and sank down into the soft downy mass, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A harsh, blaring sound cut through the air in the room. His cell phone.

Sasuke grabbed the small device and hissed venomously, "Anarchy, assassination, uncontrollable arterial bleeding, or a cardiac attack, are the only excuses for waking me up at this ungodly hour."

A pause, then: "Mr. Uchiha?"

"Yes." Sasuke said, eye twitching, "Who the hell is this?"

"Kohona's central police station. Hold on."

"S'uke?"

'_Oh __**HELL**__ no.'_ Sasuke thought, "Uzuamki?"

"Yeah...umm... Kakashi listed you as my emergency contact... I know this is an imposition, but could you get me out of here?"

A sigh while rustling his dishevelled hair, "What did you get yourself into?"

"Funny story...me and my teammate Kiba were celebrating at Chouji's...you do know that place right, it just around the corner from Ichiraku's-""

Sasuke scrubbed his hand over his face, "Yes Uzumaki I know the place."

"Oh, good...anyways we were celebrating...loudly... because we made the playoffs...got into some trouble with some other players from the team we defeated. From what I understand, someone called the police and here I am...breathing stale air, surrounded by yucky people and basically, I just do not wanna be here."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Dobe." was his short reply, "I'll be there."

Hanging up, muttering every damnable curse he knew, Sasuke threw off his sheets, and still cursing under his breath, managed to get dressed and find his way to his car. Punching in the directions to the police station, he wondered how the hell what kind of divine intervention caused him to actually do this.

The police station was in the middle of either a hostile takeover or hosting a convention. People were streaming in and out of the place like a mad horde. Sasuke paused and re-evaluated the reasons why he would ever go into that mess.

'_Client privilege'_ was the answer.

Rolling his eyes, he exited the car and made his way to the entrance alcove. The guard at the front door stopped him.

"Sir, please show me your identification and state your purpose here."

Flashing his driver's license and grunting out that he was there to bail Uzumaki Naruto, he was escorted to the interior desk, to sign his name to some paper and to post the bond. The young, female cop, Moegi something, behind the desk, indecently and idiotically, insisting on batting her eyelashes at him.

'_I wonder if she has a nervous disease.' _Sasuke wondered idly, just arching an incredulous eyebrow.

Eventually, getting the information about the situation, she moved off to retrieve the football player.

"Ignore her." A dark hair woman cop, Kurenai said, while the other girl went to fetch the prisoner. "She's new, and apparently doesn't know what she can't have yet."

Sasuke smirked. _'Smart woman._'

Five minutes later, "S'uke! Man I'm so glad to see you." Naruto said, his tan skin waxing pale. "Trust me, in there is hell."

"Whatever." Sasuke said; hands shoved into his pants, jerking his head to the door he growled out, "Let's go."

They turned to go but were stopped by the older female officer. She said waving the contract he just signed; "Uchiha-san, according to the bail agreement you are to monitor Uzumaki-san for forty-eight hours.

Sasuke paused, "What the-?"

"Yes," she replied, "Prisoners, who are incarcerated under the influence, have to have a monitor until the influence wears off; otherwise they run the risk of committing the same offence and being put before the judge."

A pause. A twitch. "Very well." He made a curt semi-circle spin and strode out of the station to the parking lot. "Come on baka."

The night was pitch black but nearing the car, Naruto paused, "Man...is _that_ your ride?"

"Yes." Sasuke said, not realising the six foot odd, had stopped dead in the street, "What about it?"

Silence.

The Uchiha glanced up and found a star-stuck Uzumaki just staring at the low, sleek machine.

"Dobe?" he tried.

Nothing.

"Baka?"

Still nothing.

"Usurotankachi?"

Not one reaction.

A tick was forming in the side of Sasuke's eye. "UZUMAKI!" he yelled.

Naruto yelped. "Man, don't so that!"

"Pay attention and get in." he demanded, "And stop drooling over my car."

Slowly, almost reverently, Naruto opened the door and apparently with a short prayer, he entered into the cream leather and faux wood interior. They drove away.

"You live at?" Sasuke asked.

"Thirty one Rasengan road."

A pause, then, "Tell me Uzumaki, why was I the one to get you out...where is Kakashi?"

"On a trip to Hokkaido." The football player replied with a shrug, "At least that's what he told me."

'_Interesting'_ Sasuke thought, "And you don't believe him?"

"Not for a damn second." Naruto said, "That lech is always off somewhere he isn't but says he is."

The car pulled up to what looked like a one story red brick house, with cliché white picket fence and shingled roof.

"Hurry up and get your things." was the order, "It's two am and I want to go back to bed."

"You don't stay up late." Naruto scoffed, hopping out of the car, "do you?"

Sasuke was about to deliver a scathing reply but the blond was already gone. His broad back disappeared into the doorway.

A glance at his watch. '_He has five minutes or else I'm driving.'_

Tapping his fingers on the wheel while keeping the time he was jerked out of his reverie by a crash. Before he knew he was out of the car and bursting into the house.

And stopped dead.

Before him, sitting on his haunches, was the hugest, monstrous animal he had even seen in his life. The thing, nearly five feet long, reaching almost to his chest, had red-golden fur, claws like an eagles, fangs like a crocodile and black, glittering, sadistic eyes.

They stared at each other.

"Sasuke?" he was asked but his gaze never shifted from the huge fox breed dog...no scrap that, wolf.

"Uzumaki," he asked calmly to the man that was removing pieces of a ceramic vase from the floor, "what are you doing with an endangered animal in your home?"

"Oh...that's Kyuu." He said, getting up and dumping the shards into the trash. "He was offered to me after all those donations I sent to the home."

The dog/wolf _thing_ got up and edged up to Sasuke, long tongue hanging out and sniffling. The Uchiha took a wary step back.

"Don't be afraid...he's tame."

"Yeah right." Sasuke said cocking his head to the side, "what in hell is he mixed with...woolly mammoth?"

"Nope." Naruto said bending down to run the fox's ears. For the first time Sasuke realized the Naruto had small, almost invisible faint brown scars on his cheeks, insanely resembling the fox's whiskers. He was insanely curious about it, but didn't ask.

"I'll be back soon Kyuu, be good."

A woof and tail wagging.

A pause, "You do realize that you aren't going to be here for two days. Aren't you concerned that he's not going to be supervised in that time?"

"Nope...my friend Sakura is going to take care of him." Naruto said getting up.

Getting up and hoisting the packed duffel bag unto his shoulders he turned around to the Uchiha who was leaning on the doorjamb.

"Let's go."

* * *

Sasuke ushered Naruto into the lavish guest room. A fifty foot space, complete with the most modern furniture, a small kitchenette, a spacious bathroom boasting a shower and a Jacuzzi, and left him with dull orders to unpack his things. Just as he was going out the door he was called back.

"Sasuke."

"Yes?" he said, exhausted.

"...Arigato."

"Hn...dobe."

* * *

"Fuck no." Sasuke said, fumbling around trying to slam down the button on his alarm clock. Five thirty am, time to run. The alarm, blaring and persistent was getting on his last good nerve. He had gotten less than two hours sleep after being called to get Uzumaki out of jail.

Still, routine nagged him until he gave in and grumpily got dressed. Sweat pants and trainers on, he made his way to the door and paused. Glancing over his shoulder he viewed the hallway to the guest room.

'_Should I?'_ he asked himself.

Silently making his way to the room, he cautiously opened the door and peered inside. Naruto was, as he suspected, fast asleep, splayed out on the bed like a starfish, and limbs everywhere. A snort. Turning back to the entrance hall, he quietly exited the house.

The run should have not taken so long. Normally he was done in thirty minutes, making it six am, but this time he reached back home forty five minutes after a good showering by unseasonably morning rain. Needless to say he was pissed. And his mood got even worse when he approached the driveway of the house. Obnoxious music so loud it was almost vibrating the earth under him.

'_Shit no! That moron did NOT touch my stereo system!_'

The door was slightly opened and emitting from it was a horrendously off-key voice singing, no, crowing this: "Don't worry... about a thing...everything is gonna be allllrrigghhhtt."

"What the hell?" Sasuke bust in, demanding.

Naruto, shirtless, sporting a leather thong with blue beads and crystals around his tan neck, clad in retina destroying orange sweat pants and clown socks was doing an inane air guitar act. Sasuke marched over to the stereo system and brusquely shut it off.

"Man." Naruto screeched, "What the hell is y-"

"My problem is that this," Sasuke shot back, "isn't your home. You have absolutely no right to make a disturbance in this place."

"A 'disturbance' right?" Naruto said, eyes lighting up with mischief, "Huh...I did suspect it but now I know for sure...You are an 'ice princess'."

Sasuke paused, "...A what?"

The blond leaning on a wall, crossed his legs, his corded upper body glistened with a light sheen of sweat. The sweats slipped down an inch. "An 'ice princess', teme." He shook his blond hair. "It means you have like this insane routine and principles that if thwarted you get prissy."

'_Dead on.'_ Sasuke's subconscious teased but outwardly he said, "Where did you lean a word like 'thwarted' usurotankachi?"

"I went to school."

"Then you should know that too much of this," Sasuke said waving in the general direction of the stereo system, "causes noise pollution."

A roll of sapphire eyes, "It also makes you lighten up."

Kicking off his trainers, Sasuke asked, "Who was that singer anyway?"

Naruto paused and gawked, "You've gotta be kidding me?"

"Nope."

"You don't know Bob Marley? The king, emperor and president of reggae music?"

"No."

Silence, then. "When was the last time you went on a vacation?"

A glare. "I'm going to shower." He said moving to his suite, "Amuse yourself."

A salute.

* * *

Towelling his wet hair, the slightly calmed Uchiha entered into the kitchen and stopped dead. The first thing that shot his senses was the mess on the island. Egg shells, flour dust, cinnamon powder, a jug of orange juice, a stick of margarine and milk drops.

Naruto, sporting now a black apron and a spatula was in front of the counter top stove and deftly handling a frying pan. With a calculated twist a pancake did a small flick and landed back into the pan.

"...Dobe?" he asked, trying his best to not go postal, "Where did all this come from?"

"Oh, that," he said his other hand rubbing the back of his head, "I just took a trip to the convenience store up the road."

"That store it three miles away." Sasuke said.

"Yep, I know." He replied, "Good jog."

'_He jogged? In that short time I was in the shower?'_ Sasuke thought. '_Impressive.'_

"Hn."

"How do you take you pancakes S'uke?"

Sasuke, still not getting used to his 'nickname' made his way over to the coffee pot. "I don't eat breakfast Uzumaki."

A gawk. "What? It's the most important meal of the day." then contemplating he asked, "What exactly do you do in the morning, besides being an ass?"

Sasuke ignored him. He deemed it not worth reacting to the slur.

"I go to work."

"And that right there is the problem." Naruto said, stacking his pancakes on a platter, dousing them with syrup, butter and a handful of blueberries. "You're so stuck in your world that you have no idea what is passing you by."

"And what exactly is passing me by?" he asked, raising the mug to his face.

"Fun."

A snort. "...Fun...right."

"Yes, fun." Naruto said between wolfing down the food. A small drop of maple syrup was lodged on his upper lip, Naruto's tongue, made what Sasuke would always deem the most erotic lick in history... but he would never admit it.

"When was the last time you had any?"

The Uchiha made to answer but was cut off, "You know what...you don't have to answer that." He said, twirling his fork in the air and cobalt orbs boring into black eyes, "I already know."

"Know what?" The Uchiha asked slightly apprehensive.

A smirk, "You and that Hyuuga, right. I swear Kohona hadn't seen such a twist in decades."

"Hn." Sasuke said, putting his cup in the sink and turning around, "You should talk." He tilted his head, "You and the Sabaku were menaces."

"So you know about that." Naruto said, eyes piercing. "So S'uke," he asked hands folded on the table, eyes dropping half mast, "I've been almost everywhere in this house... and I've not come across any signs of relationship."

"Che." Sasuke scoffed, "A relationship is for people who don't have anything important to do. I have my company to run, and _that_ Uzumaki, is my priority."

"You've got me wrong. I didn't mean romantic, even if that would be a plus. I know you have family...a brother. What happened to that relationship?"

Sasuke bristled, "That Uzumaki is off limits."

A raise of hands, "Yeesh."

Storming out of the room, he got dressed. While putting on his jacket, he stubbornly fought the insisting urge to go back to the question he was asked. Slowly he reflected on the questions. He sighed, _'How can I tell him that I don't speak to my father, or that the fact that I can't see my mother is slowly making me go insane. How can I tell him that Itachi made the best choice in his life and left me to __**this**__? How can I tell him that my work is my life and it's all I have now?'_

Bracing himself on the bureau he stared into his reflection. His eyes, once so full of life and animated were hard, dull and cynical. His porcelain face was moulded into stone; reflecting just what Neji told him he was; a business tycoon first.

Taking a moment to concentrate, he adjusted his tie and squashed all those emotions down until he couldn't recognize them. Grabbing his keys and briefcase he strode out of the room.

"I'm going to work." He said, "Please don't destroy anything."

Another roll of sky blue eyes. "Yes sir...Mr. Ice-princess."

* * *

**A/N: **I just love messing around with Sasuke...he's so easy to manipulate...

***OWARI***


	3. Murphy's Law

**Chapter 3**: Murphy's Law

**Pairing**: Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji... (yes, I will explain... not now...later. XD)

**Rating**: M

**Summary**: When Uchiha Sasuke, tycoon, cut-throat agent of Sharingan Sports Services, is handed the case of wild card Uzumaki Naruto, a twenty three year old, child prodigy Football star, he eagerly takes on the challenge, not know he would get caught up in a primal lightning storm.

**Disclaimer**: Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto

**N/B**: I apologize for all the typos, and blatant misuse of the English language; and I totally fudged with the name for Neji's dad...I'm so embarrassed, for someone who has been watching Naruto for ten years. -_-... Also, in this chapter, watch out for some Naru-mischief.

**N/B2: **Did anybody catch the fact that Itachi and Naruto were in Bali? *Hint, hint* -eyes shifting crazily-

During the whole ride to the office Sasuke was deliberately reciting the formula for the quadratic equation, just to keep his mind wandering off to the six foot blond in his house and the possible chaos. Driving from mostly memory and not rapt attention, just a chain from his workplace, he didn't notice when he ran over an open drain and his right tyre was slowly losing air.

Pulling into his underground VIP parking spot and shutting off the engine, he felt the car titling slightly to the right. Getting out he walked around the hood to view the damage and paused; rolled his eyes to high heaven and cursed.

Flipping out his cell he called the garage overseer and politely requested, (yeah right...basically ordered) a mechanic to come attend to the damaged vehicle and the made his way to his private elevator. Stepping out of the confined place, Sasuke made his way to his office; walking by his assistant desk he paused.

It was deserted.

That was curious. Haku who was so painstakingly efficient that he usually came in about six am, was not at his desk. Where could he be?

"What the- " he started but interrupted by Haku exiting the files room.

"Good morning Uchiha-san." Haku's voice was a little graver than usual. Sasuke immediately picked up something was wrong.

"What's wrong Haku?" he asked, black eyebrows rising slightly.

Haku sighed and said; "The executive board for the award for the MVIP of the figure skating competition, that Sai was to attend last night, is suing us for his absence."

'_Damn_. _Second thing to go freaking wrong this morning._' Sasuke cursed inwardly, "He didn't show up?"

Haku shook his head, "I was alerted to the mishap this morning. After trying to contact him I was told that, apparently, he skipped out of town to Kyoto."

Sasuke raised an elegant hand to massage his already aching brow; the first sign of a migraine. "How much?" he asked plainly.

"Twenty five million yen."

Sasuke reeled back. "What the-"

Haku held up a pale hand asking him to calm down, "The suit contains the expenses for the venue, the Orchid Hotel Banquet Hall, the decorations, the invitations, the band, the food, and all the attendants' time...including the governor's."

'_That made sense.'_ A sigh, "Forward the details to my office Haku and track Sai down. I don't care if he is hiding under his mother's bed or on planet Mars; I want him back here _immediately_."

"Hai."

'_I wonder what else could go wrong today?_' he acerbically asked himself, placing his briefcase down on the industrial steel table.

Reaching out to pull out the file drawer, and predictably it was jammed. Sasuke took a minute to breathe.

'_Third...Clearly someone up there has it in for me._' He thought, _'I bet it's uncle Madara...what did I forget to do dear Uncle? Play with kids? Give to the homeless? Rescue puppies from a fire? What?'_

Finally it pulled free and Sasuke took out his note pad. The small chime on his pc alerted him to the email that just popped up.

Sai was, not for a lack of words, the most irritating, conceited, annoying Uchiha look-alike in history...and he was a figure skater; and the fact that he was handpicked for the Japanese Winter Olympic team just made his arrogance worse.

Opening the document, he jotted down all the information about his elusive client. Apparently he was taken to disappearing often and when he did he didn't show up for months...and when he did, he always popped up in the Red Light district in Kyoto.

'_That freak_.' Sasuke mused.

Picking up his office phone he dialled his trusted private investigator/assassin, a former associate of Itachi. Ibiki Morino. Three rings and;

"The only reason you are calling me, Uchiha, is either you want a dead body or a nearly dead body. Which one?"

A snort. "Close but no dice Morino. I want you to track a...certain person down for me and have him back here in twenty four hours."

"...Oh please tell me, I'm a-flutter to know...who was the massive idiot who screwed you and left in the wee hours of the morning?"

Eyes narrowed. "Morino, if even that was the case, I wouldn't be such a bumbling idiot to tell you."

"Damn."

Eyes rolled. "It's a client of mine. His name is Rumino Sai, a fi-"

"The figure skater? The Uchiha look-a-like?"

Sasuke breathed deeply, clamed himself and answered, "Yes."

"Where did he go?"

"We suspect a red light district in Kyoto. The Makushi-Ko."

"...That place is for- "

"Please don't tell me." Sasuke cut in and said shortly, "I want to retain my sanity."

A chuckle, "I'll get to it."

"Your fee?" he asked, grabbing the note pad and pen.

"Twenty thousand yen."

Sasuke raised his eyebrow. "Hn. That's a little less than your usual, but I'll forward half now and half when you complete the assignment."

"Assignment Uchiha?" Ibiki said. Sasuke could hear the derision over the connection. " ...do I look like one of your staff?"

"No," he said, "But you are acting like one of them. Goodbye Morino."

He hung up, pale hand again finding itself at his brow. It seemed like this was one of the days the fate, the afore-mentioned menopausal bitch, took delight in kicking its unsuspecting pawns in the ass.

A knock on the door. Absently he said, "Come."

Haku stepped in and, good god, he knew he hired the Yuki for a reason; in his delicate hand was the lifesaving liquid, nectar of the gods and the holy grail in one...a twelve ounce cup of coffee.

With a small sympathising smile Haku placed the cup on the table and quietly left. Sasuke palmed the styrofoam cup and lifted up to his lips.

A sip. _'Hold the hell on...this isn't straight black, it's cinnamon and cream and...hazelnut?' _cautiously he took another sip. '..._Not so bad.'_

Shrugging he placed the cup down and took up the file. '_Time to get to work.'_

(*)(*)(*)

"Did he take it?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"If you don't mind me asking...what _exactly_ are your plans for Uchiha-san?"

"Getting him out of his shell."

"...Good luck."

(*)(*)(*)

It was one forty seven and Sasuke was still stuck at his desk, poring over the schedule for the launch of the upcoming equestrian tournament. Seven competitors all the five nations society's elites: Yamanaka Ino, TenTen, Hyuuga Hanabi, Sabaku Temari, Terumi Rin, Guren and Konan.

The first three he could deal with, they were from Kohona, but the rest especially Sabaku Temari, he had to be careful around.

A sigh. His eyes were burning. Thank god the windows of his office were strongly frosted; it wouldn't do for his staff to see his exhaustion. It was getting harder and harder but, his company was his life blood and he would be damned to see it fail.

A bleary glance at the clock. It now read one thirty.

Damn. He should've eaten half an hour ago.

Picking up his intercom he called Haku and asked him to order his usual pink salmon and steamed baby bamboo shoots, combined with brown rice.

"..And Haku?" he asked, hesitatingly.

"Yes, Uchiha-san?"

"You wouldn't have to be in possession of any more of that coffee, would you?" he asked, controlling his voice to seem nonchalant.

"As a matter of fact, I do." His assistant replied, a small unidentified note in his voice, sounding dangerously like triumph.

"Good. I'll have another cup."

He hung up. Facing him, were the expenditures for the tournament, everything from the venue, the managerial crew, the stable keepers, the invitations for the city's leaders, the accommodation for the riders, the charities that were going to benefit; even the smallest detail like the food for the horses, he insisted on overseeing, because the year before when Kohona had hosted the annual winter equestrian show; the last company to manage it fouled it up...immensely. Sasuke wasn't taking any chances this time.

Haku silently deposited his coffee before him and said; "Uchiha-san, the restaurant says they will deliver but it's going to take some time."

"That's fine." He said absently, "Just notify me."

A bow and Haku was gone. Time slipped by.

(*)(*)(*)

"He's still waiting?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Uzumaki-san... you should know that when Uchiha-san gets annoyed, he isn't the easiest person to deal with. So, whatever your plan is, I advise you to deal with it soon."

"Yeah... you did clear his schedule, right?"

"Yes, I did."

"Perfect."

(*)(*)(*)

His pen fell under the desk

'_Damn._' Reaching down to retrieve it he soundly clocked his head under the steel underside of the desk_. 'Can this day get any worse?' _he asked.

Getting the pen in hand he glanced up and glimpsed the clock on the wall. It was two pm.

"What the hell?" left eye started to dangerously tick. Grabbing his phone he called Haku. "Haku, why isn't my food here?"

"The restaurant hasn't notified me yet." He replied.

"Did they say when?"

"No Uchiha-san. But the mechanic called, your tyre is replaced."

'_Great'_. He thought rolling his eyes.

(*)(*)(*)

The bathroom mirror was getting frosted over with steam.

Sasuke rested his hand on the marble sink and the other hand was massaging his temples. Migraine alert. His black bangs slight damp from the water he splashed on his face. Grabbing blindly for the pristine face towel, he patted his face dry and steeled himself.

His mother's word floated back to him; '_The world is an ugly place son...don't let it get to you.' _Straightening up he stepped out of the space and stopped dead.

'_Oh HELL NO!... Did the world just want to screw with him today?'_

A casually dressed Uzumaki Naruto was splayed over his personal dark blue office chair.

Needless to say his left eye started to tick. "Uzumaki?"

A smirk and sapphire eyes dancing mischievously. "Uchiha."

"What...the...hell...are...you...doing...in...here?" he grated out haltingly.

He rose up by degrees. Tall, muscled, corded body clad in faded dark blue Tru Religions jeans, a dark purple t-shirt and black biker boots.

"Get your coat princess. We're going out."

Sasuke scoffed, "In your dreams baka. My schedule is packed."

"No it is isn't." Naruto said, circling around to his enormous desk, running the tips of his fingers over the steel grey surface. A smirk. "I wonder how much this can hold up."

Without a word he hopped up on the desk. "Sturdy... I bet you can do some serious damage on this." He said, slightly bouncing on it.

Sasuke strode over and fisted Naruto's shirt. "Get up NOW!"

In response Naruto just grabbed Sasuke's hips and leaned in, "Make me."

At the touch a wave of panic surged through Sasuke's veins and he extracted himself from the hold. His fist clenched until he could feel his nails biting into his palms.

Space issues...yeah right.

Forcing his hands to unclench he shakily ran a hand though his hair.

"Uzumaki, I really do have to get some work done. The equestrian tournament is coming up an I need to organize th-"

"It's in two weeks, S'uke." Naruto said tilting his head to the right, "Being the genius you are you can sort it out in three days."

Another sigh and a small grumble. Finally he admitted; "You're right." he glanced up under his bangs, "I can."

Looking around the room he realized; the office was stifling and he feared that if he stayed in it one more hour, he was going to go bat shit crazy. Moving around the table to undock his cell phone and check the screen of his pc, he asked;

"Uzumaki, if I agree to this...and mind you I said 'if'...where would we go?"

Naruto was fiddling with a stapler, and without looking up he said, "How about a restaurant?"

"Okay." He agreed, he really needed to eat, "But I need to swing home first."

"Fine with me." He said, "Let's go."

Grabbing his briefcase he asked, "How did you get in here?"

A smirk. "Not telling."

Sasuke glanced over Haku's desk, but mysteriously, he was absent. He paused, "Huh...that's strange."

"Wha'."

"My assistant, Haku, isn't here."

"The little one... Doe eyes?" Naruto asked.

"Doe eyes?"

"Yeah...at least that's what Scarecrow calls him."

"Huh." _'Surprisingly appropriate.'_

(*)(*)(*)

Stepping out of the shower, Sasuke quickly got dressed, pocketed his keys and spun around on his hand crafted Gucci shoes. Naruto was waiting in the living room, staring out a window.

"I'm ready." Sasuke said, fiddling with his watch. Naruto turned around and raised a golden eyebrow.

"We're going to a restaurant Sasuke...not a board meeting."

"Yes...so?"

He didn't look up to catch the eye roll. "It means; no suit required... go change."

The Uchiha glanced down to his most casual Alex McQueen suit. "What is the problem?"

Blue eyes roved over the black clad form. "Are you always this...uptight?"

"Yes." was the plain answer.

"You mean to tell me you have no jeans, slacks...a kilt?"

"...What the hell would I do with a skirt, dobe?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, passing a tan hand over his face. Glancing at the clock on the wall he said;

"It's three thirty...we need to get you some regular clothes."

"Oh no." Sasuke stepped back, '_Hell no.'_

"Oh yes." The blond said a sadistic gleam in his eyes. "Shopping trip!"

(*)(*)(*)

"Uzumaki. I'm not wearing this...even to my grave." Sasuke said, a serious twitch in his temple, pulling at the garish sweat shirt.

Naruto was in stiches, tears streaming down his face; for the record the Uchiha looked like a fish completely out of water.

"O...Ok." he calmed down. "I'm sorry S'uke... I've done you wrong...this, for sure, isn't the store for you."

"Damn right... I don't shop at Burlington."

"Yeah... let's go."

Back in the street they walked down the boulevard. The shopping district in Kohona was seriously lacking...no wonder Sasuke had all his clothes shipped to him from Paris.

"Dobe," Sasuke said his eyes still stinging form the retina melting clothes in the last store. "Can we just go eat now."

"Hold on." The Uzumaki said, pausing at a window and peering in. "This may be the place."

Glancing up between his fingers he took in the stores' name; 'The Marauder'.

"Seriously dobe? A pirate store?"

"Nah..." Naruto said, pushing in the door, "One last time, then I swear, it's over." A chuckle, "You look like you've been through a hurricane."

"And what do you know about a hurricane, Uzumaki?"

A smirk, "I'm surprised you haven't found that about me yet..." he said, beckoning the sales girl over, "I spent five months in Ibiza...they have a lot of hurricanes."

'_Really.'_ Sauske said, making a mental not to check that titbit out.

Turning to the girl Naruto said, "Where is the men's section?"

She directed them to a section in the back, with a suggestion if they needed help they would call her. Sasuke stalled a moment, shrugged and ventured into the section, wishing it would get over as soon as possible. Surprisingly, the store did have some items that Sasuke could even contemplate wearing.

"Here, try these on." Naruto said shoving a handful of clothes into the changing room.

Sighing, the tired and frustrated Uchiha slipped on the clothes and not even giving a damn about how they looked he walked out and into the room, previously empty, now sporting a group of girls, and a really mischievous smirking Naruto leaning, sexily, on the column directly in front of the changing room.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "What the hell...you know what I don't care...can we go now?"

"You know," Naruto said, shifting his stance and leaning into the Sasuke's personal space, "You look good in blue."

"What?" he asked,

"You haven't taken one look to the clothes, have you?" Naruto said, placing his hands unto the Uchihas shoulders and spinning him around to the facing wall mirror.

Sasuke did a double take.

His reflection, the one usually decked out in a svelte suit was now sporting close fitting black jeans sitting beautifully on his lean hips, a white oxford shirt draping his torso and a navy blue vest conforming to his shape.

In one word he looked...strange.

Naruto, head resting on his right shoulder was peering into the mirror, eyes dancing and smirking his fox-like face off, "See S'uke, you can be different."

Sasuke, completely taken in by his reflection, didn't notice the muffled giggling from the girls two racks away.

"I guess dobe...can we go now."

"Yeah...just one thing."

Calling over the sales girl he said, "We'll take five of everything he has on...as a start."

A tick, _'We'?_

(*)(*)(*)

It was six pm when they reached the restaurant.

A Greek/Mediterranean place named 'Mykonos'. The establishment was on the fringes of the shopping centre. The building was, Sasuke grudgingly appraised, beautifully styled like an ancient Greek temple, white columns reaching to the ceiling, blue scrolling around the edges of the room and sported sporadic statues of Greek gods dotted about the room. They found a secluded table behind a marble statue of Dionysus.

Completely out of his comfort zone, the Uchiha sat back to the wall and took to surveying the landscape and mapping out possible escape routes.

"Just like I expected." Naruto said, blond bangs slipping into his eyes. "You really need to get out more Uchiha." He leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, eyes boring into Sasuke's. "There is no one here to attack you."

Sasuke's attention shot back to the blond sitting before him, and just arched his eyebrow.

"I know what it means to be out of your comfort place." He said simply.

A server, dressed in full black silently deposited their menus on the table and just as silently left.

Sasuke titled his head to the left, "How?" he simply asked.

"You already know I was in Bali...what you don't know is that from there I went to Ibiza, Madrid, Rome, London, Puerto Rico and the Amazon."

'_The Amazon?'_ "Hn. What were you doing in a jungle?"

A mischievous smile. "Cavorting with aborigines."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Please, give me something I can even _remotely_ believe."

"I was seeking a rare flower that only grows there, for someone."

"Friend?"

"No, family."

Sasuke paused. _'Didn't know that.',_ "I thought you didn't have an-"

"Yeah, that's what I thought too, until Kakashi adopted me. We spent two years searching for any relatives I had, on both sides, until we found one."

The waiter deposited glasses of water on the table and with a low voice, told them to order when ready.

Sasuke was puzzled, "Who?" he asked again.

"My granny, Tsunade." Naruto said, picking up the menu and scanning it. "She was my late fathers' aunt, but when he died she was still in Haiti treating infantile osteoporosis."

'_Mental note: check for records of Tsunade.' _Sasuke thought. "You're father's name?"

"Namikaze Minato." The blond said simply spinning through the menu.

Sasuke felt like he was just bombed. His eyes widened and his lips parted a millimetre.

"N-N...Namikaze Minato?" he said, mentally cursing his stuttering. "The late Ambassador to Spain?"

"You know of him, I take it?" Naruto didn't even look up.

His head fell into his hand, massaging his over worked brow. Two thoughts came to his mind, '_How the hell could he miss the resemblance,' and,_ '_Fugaku'._

"Uchiha?"

No answer.

"Teme?"

Still no reaction.

"S'uke!"

Sasuke shot up at that.

"Where did you go man?"

"Namikaze Minato was my father's friend," Sasuke started saying, "...at least he was. I slightly remember seeing him at our home with his wife, Kushina... I was four years old when he died."

Naruto just stared. Then he sighed.

"Let's order, we can talk after."

Sasuke totally agreed, palming the menu and scanning it, while making mental notes to do what he suspected would tear him to pieces, a visit to his family and a talk with Fugaku.

'_Fate, you bitch.'_

(*)(*)(*)

"Home...finally."

Naruto kicked off his shoes and head to the kitchen, peering into the cupboards.

"Man, don't you have some booze, anywhere?"

A tick, "You're an athlete, you shouldn't drink alcohol." Sasuke said, going to his room and shrugging of the clothes, _'I need a bath.'_

"Yeah right." came from the vicinity of the kitchen.

Slipping on his robe, Sasuke went to his mini fridge and uncapped a bottle of Evian water. Running a hand through his hair, he reflected on the day.

'_The Ambassador's son._.. _damn.' _

"S'uke?"

'_Damn why does he react to the name some much? Does to dobe even realize what he's doing to me?'_

"Nan desu ka, usurontankachi?'

A blond head poked into the room and glanced around. "You wouldn't happen to have some vodka, would you?"

"No."

"Wine?"

"No."

"Moonshine?"

"...Dobe, get out before I do something I will regret."

"And that is?" a mischievous glint.

Sasuke felt a tick forming, "Get out, dobe."

"Good night...teme."

Stripping he stepped into his bathroom and allowed the warm water to cascade over his body, scrubbing absently, he realized that they didn't get to discussing Naruto's family.

'_Tomorrow set a meeting with dearest daddy, dig up all the facts about Uzumaki and this 'Tsunade' and contact Itachi, maybe he knows something that could help me in the mess.'_

Turning to step out of the shower he banged his knee on the metal appendages protruding from the shower and cursed for the umpteenth time.

'_Murphy's law, huh.' _

(*)(*)(*)

**A/N: **Weird chap huh...


	4. Rent

**Chapter** **4**: La Vie Boheme

**Pairing**: Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji... (explanation is now. XD)

**Rating**: M

**Summary**: When Uchiha Sasuke, tycoon, cut-throat agent of Sharingan Sports Services, is handed the case of wild card Uzumaki Naruto, a twenty three year old, child prodigy Football star, he eagerly takes on the challenge, not know he would get caught up in a primal lightning storm.

**Disclaimer**: Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...how I envy that sheer genius. Oh and I sure don't own the play "RENT', or the lyrics of the song "La Vie Boheme"

**A/N1**: I'm not a fan of head hopping but I did tell you that in would explain about the Gaa/Neji thing right... so here it is...and ps...Gaara-chan has eyebrows now. #author privilege# -smirks-

**A/N2:** And I'm a review addict...no seriously, I check like every hour...-_- (lame huh)

* * *

'_Fuck me, I'm surrounded by damn morons.'_

Sasuke deliberately forced himself to not show his exasperation when the leader for Anda Corp was still blathering on about something the Uchiha heir couldn't give a damn about; even if he tried.

'... and then she said, 'I'm going to liquidate my assets..."

Feigning interest Sasuke secretly checked his phone, wishing and praying that someone in his company was having some kind of life crisis right now to rescue him from mind numbing corporate 'mingling'.

Suddenly a message popped up: '_**Good Morning, bastard.'**_

The Uchiha arched an eyebrow, '_What the hell?' _

His mind chipped into overdrive; what kind of bumbling idiot would send him th-...he scoffed internally...one word: 'Uzumaki'.

'_**I see you're finally awake,**__**Baka.'**_

His attention was called back to the meeting when the chairman asked him a direct question about the proposal for the ad for the winter Olympics.

"The ad is being composed by a team from Reiki publishing; I expect the mock up in three to four days." He answered, drolly.

A small chime announced the reception of another text, '_**Did anyone ever tell you how much of an ass you are?'**_

Sasuke hn'd, and swiftly replied, '_**Is there even a plausible reason why you are irritating me?'**_

"Uchiha-san?"

Sasuke snapped up to face the small smile of the daughter of Anda Corp's president, Mizuki. She tilted her head and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No Mizuki-san, but," and here Sasuke took devious advantage of the circumstances, "It seems like my assistant Haku needs me to go over the negotiations for the suit that is being levelled against us.'

Standing up, he straightened his jacked and bowed slightly, "Mau-san. I regret abandoning this meeting," '_yeah right' _"but I have to go."

Sasuke curtly made a precise one-eighty turn and walking out, but was paused when Mizuki said:

"Uchiha-san, wait a minute."

He turned and found the diminutive girl shuffling a pack of cream coloured envelopes. Removing one from the pack she handed it to him, a small blush on her alabaster cheeks.

"Our annual Sakura festival is in two weeks, here is your invitation."

'_Damn, I totally forgot about that.' _

"It's plus one." She added deep hazel eyes glimmering.

'_Was that a hint of an invitation?' _The Uchiha wondered, '_Doesn't she know that I would rather cut my arm than do __**that**__?"_

Nevertheless he attempted a small smile and managed: "Thank you." The black haired mogul said, immediately deciding to conjure up some plausible excuse.

During the elevator ride down from the twenty-fifth floor, Sasuke, with no other distraction, opened the envelope. Stiff papyrus paper dyed a pale orchid orange with a scroll of delicate green vines trailing up a corner it read:

_The Anda Corps and Ass._

_Formally requests that you attend the_

_Annual Sakura Festival and Auction_

_At_

_The Lotus Hotel Garden_

_At_

_3;00 pm sharp._

_A companion is allowed._

_Attire: Formal / Traditional_

A snort; like he would ever attend a function that was the premium bane of his childhood existence. Mikoto, as precious as she was, she was a socialite at heart; and shined in the spotlight. The Uchiha compound was never out of hosting balls, galas, and corporate get-togethers.

Getting into his car he tossed the invitation into his briefcase and promptly forgot about its existence. Picking up his cell he called Haku,

"Haku, I'm on my way...put the negotiations on my desk."

Then he called Mornio; "Tell me you've got him."

"Did you really call me to ask me that?" the gruff, rusty cigar roughened voice grated out. "And yeah, Uchiha, I've got him...freakin' pain in the ass too."

A smirk. "Deliver him to me, pronto...and Morino, I have another job for you; dig up everything you can find about a Namikaze Tsunade and send it to me."

"I'll get on it... and for the record Uchiha I'm not a messa-"

Sasuke promptly hung up.

* * *

(Scene change)

The airport terminal was a mess to manoeuvre through, what with all the traffic from Sunagakure and Iwagakure streaming in.

Glancing up from his itinerary Neji's moonstone eyes scanned his gate and sighed. Apparently his flight to Shanghai was delayed because of some engine problem. Looking up he glanced up at a blue sign; "Barnes & Noble". A shrug, he did need something to occupy his attention anyways. Entering the store he immediately went to the mystery section and roved over the selections.

'_Monica Highland; 110 Shanghai Road,' _He skipped that one," next was '_Noah Gordon 'The Physician'; _Neji rolled his eyes, then _'Brooke Hayward 'Hay Wire'. _

"Oh for the love of –"

Moving down the stand he sighed in relief (and a revaluation that maybe the world hadn't completely lost its entire stock of gifted people); Dan Brown's _'The Da Vinci Code'_ was available. Picking it up and not watching where he was going (a first for him) he spun around and promptly ran into someone.

"I'm sorr-" he started to say, but was arrested by a pair of hypnotic, soul stealing, jade green eyes. The book slipped out of his grasp.

A pale hand was held up and with a sinuous bend the book was handed to him. Neji for his part couldn't, for the love of his precious sanity, move his gaze from the redhead eyes.

A second seemed to drag on for an eternity.

A quirk of a blood red eyebrow, "...Are you okay?" was asked.

The voice, as much as the Hyuuga could describe it with his captured sensibilities, had the quality of smoked wood, deep unfathomable water and dark night. It one word, 'erotic'.

The Hyuuga prince felt a massive shift in his internal gravity.

* * *

It was about two pm by the time Sasuke got back to the office. Directly going to his meeting room he sadistically took in the form a sulking Sai.

"Rumino."

"Uchiha."

Not even sitting down the black haired man started: "You already know why you're here."

A grunt. "Yeah and I wish I was dead."

"Oh no worries, Sai...when we're done with you, _maybe_ you will be."

* * *

Four pm and Sasuke finally flopped into his decadent office chair. The thing was a masterpiece of engineering, and comfortable as sin.

A subtle wood chime. Sasuke pulled out his phone, which previously was off during the meeting (a.k.a. the sound verbal thrashing) with Sai, and opened the messages.

'**Look up teme.'**

'_What?'_

Sasuke glanced up; completely convinced that he was dealing with a certified moron when outside his office he could see the edges of steel cart.

'_What the hell?'_

Getting up he cautiously opened the door and viewed the cart, set buffet style complete with the formal restaurant steel dish covers. Glancing out; he realized that Haku was mysteriously absent -again.

His phone chimed again. **"I know you are a suspicious bastard, but it's not poison."**

The Uchiha lifted up the cover and under it was a loaded plate of pink salmon, tender bamboo shoots, brown rice, a bottle of wine and, dear god, a dish of tiramisu.

Under the tiramisu was a card: **"**_**You work too hard...live a little. N."**_

The 'N' was done with a flourish.

"Hn."

Carrying the tray into his office, Sasuke replied, "_**What is this dobe...your inane way of trying to buy me out?"**_

Picking up the fork he tasted the salmon and acerbically gave Naruto ten seconds to reply.

A chime, "**...**_**Is it working?'**_

The Uchiha just rolled his eyes.

* * *

Sasuke just finished eating, took a trip to the bathroom to wash his hands and came out and like the day before, stopped dead.

'_Oh hell no- not again.'_

Naruto, was in his office- again.

"Uzumaki, what the hell are you doing here aga- "

The blond haired man silently handed him a bag and an order, "We're going out again... Go change."

"No way in hell." Sasuke said,

A golden eyebrow was arched; "Yes, way."

A pause, "Tell me usurotankachi, what idea made you even think that I would abandon my work to go somewhere with you?"

"This." Naruto said, gesturing to the barren office. "You can't tell me this doesn't drive you crazy."

'_He's got a point there.'_ Sasuke's traitorous sub-conscious said. "Even if it does, I have responsibilities; I can't gander off at a whim."

"Yes you can, you're the boss; it means you can do whatever you want. Get your minions to do the leg work."

'_He's got another point there.' _ The afore-mentioned traitorous subconscious taunted. Battling with his inner self, Sasuke didn't realize when the blond stepped into his precious personal space. His blue eyes flickering like neon flames and his peach lips directly beside the Uchiha's ear.

"Get changed."

Sasuke gathered every self-resilient bone in his body; "...No."

The blond pulled back, his tan face contorted in slight confusion, "No?"

"Didn't you hear me...No." Sasuke said, "I have work to do."

The blond's eyes took in the impassable Uchiha and lowered to half-mast, shrugged and said, "I'll wait then."

'_What the hell?'_

"Knock yourself out." He said, shifting his attention to the screen in front of him. Pulling up all his mental reserves, gained from years and years of ignoring the outside world, the black haired Uchiha resolutely blocked the presence of the Uzumaki from his mind.

* * *

On the plane, soaring at fifty thousand feet, Neji took out a slip of paper. On it was the number of the redhead he bumbled into.

Sabaku Gaara; a high level tactician for the Suna government and personal advisor to the president. He was accompanying his sister, Sabaku Temari, to the annual equestrian tournament.

Just thinking of the short fiery-locked man made the Hyuuga almost smile but _that_ would be out of character for him.

'Sabaku...'

He smirked.

* * *

Straining to concentrate, Sasuke re-read the information he just read ten seconds ago and it still didn't make any sense to him. Because the Uzumaki had just started to hum; and the thing is; it wouldn't be so bad if his voice wasn't low, seductive and utterly distracting.

Sasuke glanced up the Uzumaki, under his bangs and eyes, against his will mind you, roved over the lean shape, relaxing casually on one of the seats, head thrown back, eyes closed, golden lashes fanning out, his Adam apple slightly protruding.

His pen was tapping a tattoo on the desk and his other hand was massaging his right temple. Finally, exhausted, totally annoyed and realizing that all his efforts to work were going in vain, the black haired mogul threw down the pen and grated out through gritted teeth:

"What inane thing are we going to do this time?"

The Uzumaki just smiled and held up the bag. Sasuke rolled his eyes and crossed over the floor and snatched the bag and strode to the bathroom.

* * *

"A theatre, dobe?"

Sasuke couldn't for the life of him believe he was staring at the lavish multi-complex theatre in downtown Kohona.

"Yes, teme...a theatre. We are going to watch a movie... one of my favourites." Naruto said, with a small shove into the Uchiha's back prodding him to go forward.

"And that is...no let me guess... 'Finding Nemo'?" he drawled sarcastically, not completely comfortable with his casual attire. At least the Uzumaki had enough sense and brought him a black silk shirt to go with the jeans.

"No," the blond said, "But I did like that one." He returned casually. "It's 'Rent'."

"What?" the business man asked completely confused.

"_Rent_, Uchiha...a musical."

Upon hearing the last words uttered out of the man's mouth Sasuke immediately turned and started to stride out of the place.

"No way in hades am I going to-"

A strong arm was gripping his shoulders, "No... you are not leaving."

Appalled, Sasuke tilted his head up to glare at the blond nuisance before him, "Try and stop me, baka."

"I already did." The blond said leaning down to his ear, "And if you want to fight it out right here, I can oblige you, but I really don't think the genius of the Uchiha clan wants to be seen on brawling in a movie theatre."

The blond started to nuzzle Sasuke's ear; "And besides, across from us is a reporter of the Kohona's Sun... I bet _that_ would make headlines tomorrow."

A flash of ice-cold anger, "Are you blackmailing me, dobe?"

"Yes." He said, "So play nice, teme."

'_If you think you will get away with this, I promise you, it isn't over.' _Sasuke smiled sweetly, "Lead on Macduff."

The Uzumaki smirked and with a hand in the small of the Uchiha's waist led him to the snack counter and ordered, "Large popcorn, jumbo nachos and cheese, candy corn and ginormous grape soda."

"So," Sasuke said casually, "Sodium, sodium, fat, sodium, maltose, saccharides, and carbon dioxide."

A roll of blue eyes, "And what would you have..._dear_?"

"My sanity."

"A.K.A...Peanuts, chocolate covered." The football player said.

The sales girl muffled her snickers but her dancing eyes said it all. "Coming right up."

Sasuke, hand firmly shoved into his pockets, took a minute to observe the blond chatting away with the girl, and question what really made him even agree to this. Maybe it was because he needed a diversion and the Uzumaki was the perfect distraction. Maybe because he was, and he would rather jump off a cliff then admit it, he found the Uzumaki interesting, a bit of an enigma.

Or maybe he was bored to death...yeah that was the one.

The theatre was dark and cold and they sat just below the highest point in a corner. The blond just silently capitulated to the Uchiha's paranoid attitude not sit wherever he doesn't have the advantage.

"You really need to get over that." The blond whispered just as the movie was starting.

* * *

Halfway through the movie the Uchiha was actually crying tears. At first he tried to not react to all the antics on the screen but when it got to the part when this 'Angel' in the Santa costume started perform, he couldn't muffle his snickers. The bar scene was when he started to laugh so hard, tears were actually coming out of his eyes, and for the record, he didn't know that he had the ability to cry, or laugh for that matter.

"_Bohemia, Bohemia's, _

_A fallacy in your head, _

_This is Calcutta, Bohemia is dead."_

"_Dearly beloved, _

_We gather here to say our goodbyes, _

_(Dies irae, dies illa), _

_Here she lies, _

_(Kyrie eleison), (Yitgadal v'yitkadash),_

_ No one knew her worth, _

_The late great daughter of Mother Earth, _

_On these nights when we celebrate the birth."_

A cough. Sasuke really needed to control himself...where the hell was the Uchiha pride now?

"_To days of inspiration, _

_playing hooky, making something out of nothing _

_The need to express, to communicate _

_To going against the grain, going insane, going mad"_

Going mad, the Uchiha could attest to.

"_To starving for attention _

_hating convention, hating pretension. _

_Not to mention of course hating dear old mom and dad"_

The 'dad' part he really, seriously could agree too.

"_Emotion, devotion, _

_to causing a commotion Creation, _

_vacation...mutual masturbation."_

Okay _that_ right there was really weird.

"_Compassion, to fashion, _

_to passion when it's new _

_To Sontag, to Sondheim,_

_ to anything taboo Ginsberg, Dylan, Cunningham and Cage_

_ Lenny Bruce, Langston Hughes, _

_to the stage_

_ To Uta, to Buddha, Pablo Neruda, too- "_

Okay...who the hell was 'Pablo Neruda'?

"_Why Dorothy and Toto went over the rainbow _

_To blow up auntie Em _

_La vie boheme"_

By that refrain he Uchiha had gotten some control of his self, but wasn't sure he could contain the composure to the end of the movie.

"_...nd Roger will attempt to write a bittersweet, evocative song _

_...That doesn't remind us of Musetta's Waltz."_

The madness calmed down slightly until a scene that made the Uchiha sober; it was between the blond former rock star guy and the dancer at the Cat Scratch Club.

"_Excuse me, did I do something wrong? I get invited, then ignored all night long"_

"_I've been trying, I'm not lying No one's perfect, I've got baggage"_

And here was the part that speared the Uchiha:

"_Life's too short, babe time is flying, _

_I'm looking for baggage that goes with mine"_

"Baggage." He whispered to himself, the word running through his mind.

* * *

The movie ended, and Sasuke could honestly say, to himself that he had fun, but would be damned if he admitted it verbally.

The sky was pitch black, it was ten pm after all. The moon was out and the soft shine from the pocketed surface shone genially down on them.

"You can't tell me you didn't have fun." Naruto said.

"Hn."

"You know, that's a syllable...not a word, teme." The blond said, leaning on the black Ferrari's hood and smiled, "Fess up Uchiha."

"No."

A roll of eyes. "You have some serious problems you know."

'_Tell me about it_.' Sasuke opened the driver's door, "Not more that you do. Get in, dobe."

The ride to their respective homes was done in a peaceful silence.

"Rasengan Rd." the mogul said stopping the vehicle. "Your stop Uzumaki."

The blond turned to him, his unfathomable eyes just a foot away from the Uchiha's obsidian ones;

"What?" Sasuke asked, curious.

"Nothing." The football player said his voice low and calm.

"Oh." He shifted slightly.

A tan hand reached up, paused and tucked a black bang behind an alabaster ear. "Good night S'uke."

Then he was gone.

Sasuke sat in the car, waiting for the tremors to subside. Pulling himself together he started the car and drove home.

Kicking off his shoes he swiftly changed to his sleepwear, and then made his way straight to the secret cabinet he installed after the breakup with Neji and took out a bottle of vodka and switched on the TV.

'_It's going to be a long night.'_

_***TBC***_

**A/N: Nothing to say...nothing at all. -smirk-**


	5. Retrograde

**Chapter 5:** Retrograde

**Pairing(s)**: Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji

**Rating**: M

**Summary**: When Uchiha Sasuke, tycoon, cut-throat agent of Sharingan Sports Services, is handed the case of wild card Uzumaki Naruto, a twenty three year old, child prodigy Football star, he eagerly takes on the challenge, not know he would get caught up in a primal lightning storm.

**Disclaimer**: Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...how I envy that sheer genius.

**A/N: **I believe in PWP...porn WITH plot...so no smex until I've fully soaked all of ya'll. –evil grin-. And my Itachi is a sweetheart here...no malicious 'Tachi-kun for me...no siree.

**A/N2: ** I fiddled with Tsunade's story... no apologies.

* * *

As far as Sasuke was concerned, last night with the Uzumaki didn't happen.

For one, the fraternizing with a client was taboo, second, the loss of composure and the touted 'Uchiha pride' was a disgrace and third, the loss of actual progress with his duties to his company was downright shameful.

This morning he'd made sure to shut off his phone because he knew the Uzumaki would contact him one way or the other and, subsequently, he did what he knew would keep his mind off reminders of last night; full-fledged, intensive work.

By nine am he had gotten through the negotiations for the suit against them and Sai, reduced the money to fifteen million yen, and guaranteed the board an apology from the figure skater. Next was the equestrian tournament; rooms at the hotel were already prepared and waiting for the contestants and their personal aids. The venue was getting prepared for the horses and the carefully grafted crew overseeing the preparations were top notch; they took everything into consideration, even a minute fact like the height of the grass.

After that was the profit reports, the semi-annual investments proposals, the search and replacement of the budding tennis star, the overview of the construction of the ice hockey field; and the negotiations for the dispensary of the insurance claim to the aikido star who was, unfortunately, maimed in a duel. Sasuke couldn't allow his mind to divert an inch away from work. Yes he knew he has some serious denial problems, but hey, who in his family doesn't.

A scoff. Even now, he was pretty damn sure the Fugaku still believed he was getting a grandchild from his sons; 'denial' basically was the Uchiha clan's comprehensive middle name.

A soft knock on the door.

"Enter." Sasuke said, tapping away on his keyboard. Not even looking up; "Yes, Haku?"

"While I would love to know what is really going on with you two," a deep voice said, "I'm not your beautiful assistant."

"What do you need aniki?"

Itachi crossed over to the younger Uchiha and placed a hand over Sasuke's wrist. "You are doing it again." The unsaid words were 'over obsessing'.

Sasuke sighed, closed his eyes and tilted his head into his brother's chest. "You're right."

"Why?"

"I really do not want to talk about it."

"...It's Naruto, isn't it?"

Sasuke started, jerked his head from its resting place and mildly glared up at his brother. "And what do you know about him?"

Itachi smiled, Sasuke shuddered (because damn was a freaky sight).

"Listen to me foolish little brother, Naruto isn't a saint, no one is, but with your record of relationships, this one I would advise you to keep."

'_It's not a relationship.' _He thought;"Any you know this, how?"

"I met him, briefly in Bali..." Itachi said, drumming black painted nails on the table, "At that time he was dating this Ino person, a model for some company, he got into trouble and turned to Kisame and his ...associates...for some help...needless to say, we worked it out, but by my observations, and I'm never wrong, this man is not only the exact opposite of you... but also the best thing for you."

An arched black eyebrow, "And what would you know about the best thing for me...according to dear old papa, you haven't made any good decisions...ever."

"Hn. Fugaku is an old battle axe; steeped in culture, tradition and vices." Itachi said, red eyes calm, "He's a product of centuries of careful grooming. I can't blame him for his attitude."

"Che." Sasuke relaxed and returned his head to his brother's abdomen.

"When was the last time you talked to Oka-san?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke immediately stiffened. "Three months ago." A sigh, "I couldn't do it nii-san... I couldn't-"

"-Look Tou-san in the eye?" The older Uchiha filled in for him.

Sasuke scoffed, "No... I could look him in the eye... I just did not want to indulge the urge to kill him...mom would cry. Why she married that bastard, I have no idea."

A small snicker escaped from Itachi. "Nevertheless, he is our father."

A roll of eyes and a straightening of posture, "What brings you by, 'tachi?"

"To kick some sense into you."

The second son wasn't buying it; "Yeah, and what else?"

Itachi tucked a strand of his midnight black hair behind his onyx stone pierced ear; "I'm leaving."

Despite his affection for his brother, Sasuke felt a twinge of jealousy snaking in his gut. He painfully came to the realization that Itachi had another life and things to live for. When he was younger he admired his older genius brother to the point of hero-worship but growing up, under the dictatorship of Fugaku he realized why Itachi had to break away from the clan.

A small tilt of lips, "When?"

"Tomorrow."

Itachi leaned into just inches in front of his brother's face and said slowly. "Do... not... mess... this... up, Otouto."

"Hn."

* * *

(scene change)

"Come on Naru-spill it." Kiba pressed his fellow player, while running a towel through his damp brown hair, "We know."

The Uzumaki raised an eyebrow while removing his sapphire stone chain for his locker, "You know what exactly Kiba...apart from the fact that you can't catch a pass for shit?"

The long receiver ignored him.

"That you were getting into the Uchiha's pants." Sabaku Kankuro said chucking off his dirt stained shirt. "I can't believe you and that- " he broke off searching for a word.

"That 'uptight, titanium-stick-in-the-ass, bougie(1) bastard'." Someone filled in for the Sabaku.

"Yeah!" was the resounding shout of approval.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Nothing is going on... Scarecrow just made him my agent to," here he did the quote sign, "control me."

"Yeah right," Kiba said, spraying on his cologne, "Then why did someone spot you at the movies last night?"

"I was just messing with his head...he needs to act human." The blond said, fastening his belt, and pulling on his orange hoodie, "He's-"

"A pain in the ass?" a low suggestion by one of the quietest person on the team, Nara Shikamaru.

"Thank you Nara," Naruto said, "But I was going to say- "

He paused, leaning back on the locker and sighed.

"What?" Shino, the half back player asked.

"He's lonely," The blond said, "and in denial."

"About?"

Naruto not wanting to answer that glanced up to Sabaku Shukaku the man who asked the question. Shukaku was the cousin and with the almost identical visage of his old fling Gaara. The redhead was fiddling with his phone and smirked,

"Oh hey Naru... your boy...little green eyes is in town."

"Aww... damn." Kankuro said groaning, "That means Temari-kun is here as well."

"Temari-_kun_?"

"My dyke sister." The other Sabaku said donning his shirt, "I swear; that girl can arm wrestle a Himalayan bear and win."

"And she is here because?" Shino asked.

"The equestrian tournament," he replied, "she's been riding horses since she was five years old."

"That explains a lot."

Kankuro spun around to the man who uttered that sentence, "And that means?"

The man, Akino, the left tackle, shrugged, not realizing the nearly homicidal look in the black haired man's eyes.

"You do have another brother right, so she grew up in a men's household, no wonder she that way...It means she just wants a real man to bring her ou-_huuurkk_."

The last part came out garbled because of the choke hold that Kankuro had on his neck. "Trust me man, if you ever tried that, she would flay you alive."

"Sabaku, release him!" The coach shouted.

The man dropped to the ground, Kankuro was rubbing the back of his neck, "Sorry coach... it's just that... I'm kinda overprotective of my baby sis."

"Understandable..."Kabuto, the coach said, "We all are, but that doesn't allow you to put our left tackle in the hospital."

Turning to the gathering he said, "All right, now that we have passed the prelims, it's full speed ahead to the Superbowl...no slacking at all. All of you are to report to here six am every morning fully geared out and ready to get dirty. We're going to drill every play we know to work against the Raptors."

Then switching his gaze to the Uzumaki he said; "Kid this victory is hanging mostly on you, get it?"

A salute.

"Okay, guys, DISMISSED!"

Outside jogging up the steps of the stadium to the car park, Naruto slung his knapsack over his shoulder while checking his phone. No messages.

"Damn."

A slap on the back made him look up to the fierce amber eyes of Kiba Inuzuka. "So, are you goin' to see him?"

"Sasu-" he started but then realized Kiba was talking about Gaara. "No."

"Why not?" the former dog trainer asked, "He was your boy, right?"

"Yes, he _was_." Naruto said stressed the 'was'. "Past tense, mutt-face."

"Whatever." Kiba said shrugging, "You up for the club tonight?"

'_The club.'_ Naruto thought, a devious thought springing up in the back of his mind while unlocking his silver Rav4, "No, I kinda wanna have a quiet night... I'll tell you when though."

"Yeah."

Driving home one handed he thought, _'Club Onyx... just like his eyes. Hold on S'uke, if I'm right, this is going to make you loosen up for sure.'_

* * *

Sasuke fiddled with his phone. It was the third time he took up the slim device to contact the Uzumaki but something, deep in his subconscious, made him always put it down.

His phone chimed _**'You've been avoiding me'.**_

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief; at least he wasn't the first one to make the contact. '_**Like I said, I do have some obligations... I do have a company to run.'**_

Settling the phone on the table he returned to the file in front of him. Morino had pulled up all the information about this 'Tsunade' person. Apparently she was a granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, and his wife Mito Uzumaki.

'_So that's why they're related.'_

Her younger brother Nawaki died the day after his twelfth birthday because of a gene mutation causing a rupture in his brain and apparently that's why she devoted her life to medicine; mainly children and geriatric sectors.

With both a fiery temper and a compulsive gambler, she had been known to wager astounding amount of money on bets. She had an assistant 'Shinuze' who after completing her medical training devoutly followed her to the remotest part of the European world, eventually ending up in places like the Amazon, Haiti and some parts of remote Panama. She, Tsunade, only ventured back to Japan once in a blue moon.

A chime. "_**Do you have a favourite colour, teme?'**_

Taken aback he stalled for a minute then cautiously replied: _**'Red.'**_

'_This is strange.'_ The Uchiha thought scanning over her history; apparently somehow she, Tsunade, had developed haemophobia. _'How can a doctor be afraid of the sight of blood?'_

'_**Red, huh... I took you for a black person.'**_

Sasuke ignore the message for scanning over the lineage of the family to see where the blond baka came in.

Tsunade had an uncle and apparently he was the father of Minato. When they died his wife Kushina had already given birth to their son Naruto and Iruka, a friend of the family was named his primary god-parent. Tsunade was in Indonesia at that time of Iruka's death and only was alerted to her nephew's demise five years after his child had been placed into the system.

The rest concurred with the story the blond told him, down to the trips to the Caribbean basin and Europe.

There was a note beside the report of his stay in Bali. 'Charged with minor assault.'

'_Huh.'_ Sasuke said to himself, '_Maybe that's what Itachi was talking about.'_ Taking up his phone he messaged the blond: "_**Why were you arrested in Bali, dobe?'**_

Another knock on his door, it was certainly Haku this time. "Enter."

"Uchiha-san," Haku said. "The heads of the departments are waiting for you."

"I'll get to it." he said glancing up at the Yuki and taking in the placid brown eyes, long cinnamon hair, this time, caught up in a high ponytail, black slacks and a maroon shirt. Under that shirt, the Uchiha knew, was Haku's sub collar. How such a gentle soul got into BDSM he would never know but wouldn't... couldn't... judge.

"Is that all?" he asked, scanning over the file again if he missed something.

"And Hatake-san called, he just wanted to inform you that he was back in the mainland." Haku said.

"Okay." He said glancing at the clock. It was two thirty; having completed most, if not all, his work there was nothing left but to briefly meet with the executive heads of his department, "Haku?"

"Yes Uchiha-san?"

"Take the evening off," he said, "there isn't anything more important for you to do anyways."

The Yuki's eyes widened a fraction and then a small smile crossed his face and bowed slightly, "I will."

He left.

Sasuke waited ten minutes and then slumped into his seat and rubbed his burning eyes. "Get it together Uchiha. You're stronger than this."

* * *

"He has a small waist...about size five I think...yes, leather pants...uh huh...and pair that with a blood red silk vest and size...um...nine of your signature rawhide boots."

"Is that all, Uzumaki-san?"

"Yes...you already have my credit card number, right?"

"Yes, we do."

"Great, deliver it as soon as possible."

"We will."

* * *

The meeting went off without a hitch. All the heads of the departments were fully briefed about the upcoming events and they all had their assignments. Sasuke for one was relieved that even though he delighted in supervising every last detail, he could rely on a carefully, hand-picked selected team to do the 'leg-work'.

Taking of his stifling jacked he then loosed his tie and threw the restricting piece of cloth unto his table, next he unbuttoned his collar and removed his cuff links. Lounging in only his shirt and vest he went back to reading the document on his table.

Uzumaki had still not replied to him about the charge.

That was fine. He had two other options, either ask Kakashi or go the other route; Itachi.

A chime: _**'I'm not surprised you found that out. I was defending someone.'**_

'_Someone?'_ Sasuke mused, '_Yeah right...I need clarification'_

Grabbing his office phone he called Kakashi.

"Uchiha."

"Hatake, tell me what happened when Uzumaki was arrested, and I don't have much time."

"... you got Morino to dig up that, huh?"

A roll of black eyes, "Just tell me Kakashi."

"All right...keep your pants on... he was dating this Ino girl, a model for the Versace company...and as usual with all models, she had a drug problem. From what he told me, she was meeting with her supplier when she was attacked. He defended her...end of story."

'_And full of holes too.' _Sasuke thought, "Okay...that's all I need to know." A mental note; '_Contact Itachi.'_

* * *

_(small flashback form Neji's POV)_

_A quirk of a blood red eyebrow, "...Are you okay?" was asked._

_The voice, as much as the Hyuuga could describe it with his captured sensibilities, had the quality of smoked wood, deep unfathomable water and dark night. It one word, 'erotic'._

_The Hyuuga prince felt a massive shift in his internal gravity._

_A shake of his head, Neji regained his senses, "I wasn't looking where I was going, my apologies."_

_The redhead gave a small quirk of lips, "It's ok." Then; "I was looking for a novel by," he glanced down to a note, "J. R. R. Tolkien...'The Hobbit?"_

"_Oh that's fantasy," Neji said, nodding his head to a section behind him, "If you don't mind me saying, you don't look like the fantasy type."_

_A snort, "I'm not, it just for my sister."_

"_Oh, well where is s-"_

"_Gaara, this place is horrible..." a tall stunning blonde walked up, "I can't find a decent bar for shit." Taking a look at the Hyuuga she smirked, blue eyes dancing. "Who's this Gaara-chan...your new boyfriend."_

_A roll of green eyes, "Could you be any more uncouth sister dear?"_

"_Nope." She said blatantly. "Sabaku Temari, you are?"_

_Neji smiled internally, "Hyuuga Neji."_

"_Nice ta' meet ya'." she said, turning around to the scan the books._

_Gaara raised a hand and massaged his forehead, "Excuse her, she's not-"_

"_The typical Japanese girl. I understand." Neji said one hand in his pocket, observing the woman and wonder how she related to the redhead before him. "I'm not offended by the lack of demurer. Don't worry about it."_

"_You're the first." was mumbled._

"_I take it she's done this before."_

"_Before." A dry scoff, "Try always. In Suna she's known as the-"_

"_Lady dragon." was sing-songed over the fantasy section._

"_So, why are you here in Kohona?"_

"_The equestrian competition," Gaara said, "She's one of the finalists." _

'_A horse rider,' Neji thought turning back to the redhead, moonstone eyes taking in every detail of the man before him. "Is she good?"_

"_Good...tell that to the twenty five men she beat a week ago." Gaara said, shaking his head, "She better than that."_

"_And you?"_

"_No, I don't ride."_

"_What do you do?"_

_A calculated look from the redhead, then; "I'm a chief tactician for the president of Suna."_

_Neji eyes widened. Forget internal gravity shift, his just experienced an earthquake._

* * *

"Itachi. What exactly happened with Naruto in Bali?"

A sigh, "You really want to dig up that skeleton?"

'_It's bad.' _Sasuke braced himself, "Yes."

"...Hn... It was Bali, three years ago..."

* * *

**A/N: -smirk- XD**

**Vocab; **'Bougie' is short for the French term bourgeois- actually meaning 'middle class' but taken for 'rich kids


	6. Mind Games

**Chapter 6**: Mind Games

**Pairing(s):** Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji

**Rating**: M

**Disclaimer**: Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...how I envy that sheer genius.

**A/N:** To all my reviewers: I LOVE YA'LL! And for all of you: double header today! SWEET!

**A/N2: **I know diddly-squat about American football, 'Wikipedia' you are a gift to this planet. -_- . I've used some Spanish vocab and Japanese romanji in here, not much but the meanings at the end.

* * *

"_Itachi. What exactly happened with Naruto in Bali?"_

_A sigh, " You really want to dig up that skeleton?"_

'_It's bad.' Sasuke braced himself, "Yes."_

"_...Hn... It was Bali, three years ago..."_

* * *

A pounding migraine was splitting Sasuke's head apart. He'd woken up face down into his study's desk after falling asleep trying to put together all the info on the Uzumaki that Itachi gave him. Even now the pieces that his brother gave him were resounding in his tender head.

"_...he went to rehab...twice...got involved with Yamanaka Ino...got into trouble with the local mob...tried to pay his way out of it...three degree burns...skin graft...fled to Greece...disappeared for months..."_

It was all too much and Sasuke couldn't take it all in at once.

Squinting in the low light, (thank kami), he pushed aside the fully scribbled over three notepads he used to jot down the facts about the football player. Some of the things he learned about the blond amazed him and he realized the Uzumaki wasn't what the blond, easy-going, behemoth he portrayed to be. No one would think that football player knew six languages and had that he has a master's degree in Psychology and that he completed it in two years.

_Two years_.

And no one would even comprehend all other the stuff the blond went through. _'Abuse... neglect... fifteen foster homes... emotional scarring... dyslexic... chronic anaemia..."_

The list went on.

Getting up from the desk, Sasuke blearily made his way to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom; squinting with the harsh fluorescent light that almost caused a coronary.

Damn it...the Advil was in the back of the cabinet.

Fighting nausea and fumbling for the bottle he finally grabbed it and took the pills with the bottle of room temperature water he always kept at the sink. Thank god for adopting at least one of his mom's habits.

'_Shit,' _he thought leaning his aching head on the cool glass of the minor. '_The reports are due.'_

Looking up to see his refection; he stared into the vision of a raven haired man, black eyes rimmed with red and pale, alabaster skin.

Running his hand over his face he anxiously considered if he took a sick day, what level of chaos would he return to find. No questions about it; he had to go to work. Tuning to go back to the study, he stopped immediately, the world started to spin...dangerously. Grabbing the bureau for stabilization; he instantly reconsidered the decision.

When the world stabilized he; walking slowly; carefully collected his laptop, an ice pack, three bottles of water, and his phone. Settling into his bed, he e-mailed Haku about his condition, and asked him to forward any problems he or his team couldn't deal with.

Uncorking a bottle of water, he paused a moment, wavered, then clicked the link to the movie he had downloaded: 'RENT'. Why he did it, no idea...it just rang true with something in him. Maybe it was the controversy, the drama, or the slight truth resounding in his situation.

Or maybe it was just idle amusement...yeah that's it.

Settling down to a day of absolutely nothing important, the raven breathed deeply and decided to take the advice he was given; _"You're the boss, you can do whatever you want."_

'_Score one for Uzumaki' _he thought wryly.

* * *

"Run it again!" Kabuto shouted aggravated; "That was the sloppiest defence I've ever seen in my life! Nara, if you can't dodge; pass the damn ball!"

It was nearly one pm and the whole team was raggedly dogging through the chosen plays formations. On the field from six am they were decidedly dirty and tired but still determined to get the play right, it was all or nothing; they has to win this year or the donations were going to be cut significantly.

Dodging, bobbing, weaving and running while making split decisions through thick mud and grime was hard but it had to be done, or else the reigning team could hold the trophy for another year and _that_ wasn't an option.

Scanning the field Naruto mapped the way to make the touchdown. Jogging over to Kankuro he outlined the plan for the score.

A hard back slap, "Okay man, I'm with you." The defender said.

"Shino and Shika!" the blond yelled, "Huddle up!"

In the huddle the blond grabbed a stick and in the dirt outlined the field and the current positions of the key player.

"Shika," he said pointing to the 'x' in the middle; "You're the centre...when you get the pass, fake it to Shino, double back and pass it to me again. I'll run it through to Kiba. Kanukuro and Yamato you're the main offense, do everything you can to clear the way to the endzone. Got it?"

"YES!" was the resounding response.

"Let's GO!"

(*)(*)(*)

At home; Naruto took another shower. Drying off he wrapped a towel around his waist and padded barefoot to his room. Despite his love for retina-melting orange the room was painted bohemian indigo blue, the furniture cool sliver and the wall-to-wall rug, obsidian black.

Grabbing his phone he started to act out the plan that was forming in his mind for days. He knew the Uchiha's mind-set and exactly how to get to the raven's mind...a challenge.

Getting ready to call the black haired mogul his phone lit up with a call. He answered.

"Naruto-san?"

"Yes?"

"Uchiha-san is at home..."

A pause, "...And why are you telling me this Haku?'

"Initiative." the Yuki was gone.

'_Weird.' _The blond thought for several minutes; '_I wonder what his motive is...Maybe this is the opening.'_

Rifling through his closet he carefully chose his outfit. '_Need to hit the grocery store. Thank you Baa-chan for all those pain-in-the-ass culinary lessons.'_

* * *

The doorbell chimed.

'_Sonofabitch!' _Sasuke cursed. His migraine had disappeared about an hour or two ago but high frequency noises were still got to him.

Fastening his robe and making his way to the door, he thought, '_Maybe I should really get that butler Itachi was suggesting.'_

Another chime, "Hold on. I'm coming damnit!"

Not even looking to see who it was he swung the door open and found amused blue eyes staring at him. One tan hand was perched on the door frame, the arm clothed in an obviously loved leather jacket, white cashmere turtleneck sweater on his torso and dark blue denims hugging his long corded legs. The other holding, clearly, a bag of groceries; his peach lips quirked.

Tan lids lowered; "Are you going to let me in?"

Sasuke reoriented himself. "What...the...hell...dobe?"

The blond just placed a hand on the Uchiha's middle and gently pushed him back into the foyer.

"Just visiting my 'favourite' babysitter."

'_OH HELL FUCKING NO!' _Sasuke's mind screamed while watching the six foot odd man making his way, uninvited of all damn things, into the kitchen. "Call me 'babysitter' again and I promise you; you will meet your spleen. What are you up to Uzumaki?"

"Like I just said," the blond replied; "...and to treat you to my culinary skills."

A pause; the shorter man stared incredulously while the other removed his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and removed all the groceries from the bag.

"...Culinary skills...like what?" the Uchiha asked, arms folded and deliberately arching an eyebrow, "Instant ramen?"

"Ha ha ha." Naruto replied, rolling his expressive eyes. "_No_ _señor_ _pendejo_(1). Paella."

"What?" for the first time in his life the Uchiha was clueless.

"_Paella_, teme... Saffron flavoured shellfish, chicken and rice; an old Spanish favourite.'

Against ever bone in his body the Uchiha hooked a finger in the rim of the bag and hazarded a glance in and the pale digits were promptly slapped away.

"No S'uke. No peeking. Be a good boy... go change, shower...whatever you want to do, but you do not look in here." The blond chided, "Now go!"

Grumbling the Uchiha walked away to his bedroom and instantly grabbed the Mac on the bed and googled: 'Paella'.

"Freakin' blond menace." He cursed lowly.

'_Sexy hot menace.' _His subconscious taunted.

He ignored it.

'_...common ingredients...snails...beans...duck...prawns...frequently mistaken by outsiders as the national dish of Spain...traditionally cooked on a wood fire and served with wine...three main types of paella...seafood, meat and mixed..."_

Scent wafted through the room door and filled the spartan space with an aroma that caused his stomach to groan.

"Oh for god's sake," Sasuke said glaring down at the traitorous tight expanse of muscle and pale skin, "Not you too."

Frustrated the Uchiha closed the pc and grabbed his towel and headed off to the bathroom for a scalding hot shower.

(*)(*)(*)

Sasuke entered the kitchen dressed, admittedly sloppily, in black lounge pants and an old grey t-shirt; a memoire of his college days.

The Uzumaki wasn't present. Confused he went doubled back to the den; not there either.

'_Where the hell could the baka be?' _ he mused.

A slight opening of the back door that led to the garden was opened and on a whim, Sasuke ventured out to the backyard. Like everything under his supervision it was, if not anal perfect, it was meticulous. The garden sported a line of tall red oaks around the perimeter and was dotted about with small ferns and palms, a wide, stone inlaid walkway edged the huge koi pond.

He stopped and stared.

Naruto was leaning on the restraining wall that enclosed the garden from the slight downslope that lead to the nearby lake. His bare tan arms resting on the gritty surface, his body pushed up to the waist high wall, legs slightly apart. His head was titled back to absorb the dying rays of orange-yellow sunlight that played over his skin and bright hair like liquid gold shimmer. His eyes were closed, lips slightly parted and a look of serene peace was resting like a blanket on the blonde's face.

Sasuke couldn't, for the love of him, move. He was entranced. Minutes passed; the Uchiha felt like he was in a trance that either he couldn't get out of or he just didn't want to get out of. His eyes slipped closed for a second, and something, unidentified, cut across his chest like lightning, igniting the hollow place in his chest that was yearning for... something.

A mini war raged in the Uchiha's being. One part of him was fighting to go behind the blond a wrap his arms around the trim waist and nuzzle into the firm chest, the other part wanted to run, far away, to escape the debilitating pain that he was bearing. But, in accordance with the Uchiha way, (like that stood for anything significant now) a stone wall instantly went up an all his emotions were instantly suppressed.

"Dobe!" he called.

Unseen to him, a small smile crossed the Uzumaki's face but disappeared before he turned around.

"Nan desu ka(2)?" he asked.

"Don't you have something you're supposed to be doing?" he asked, hands folded and a level stare directed to the blond.

Before he knew it, Naruto was in his face, blue eyes shimmering. "It's baking, teme."

Sasuke scoffed and turned to walk away but was arrested by a hand on his arm.

"Wha-"

He was spun around and his back promptly met the front of the Uzumaki's broad chest and he was staring into the swirling colours of the fiery Kohona sunset; with a blond head resting on his shoulder at the edge of his vision field and, for the first time in a long while; a warm, strong body at his back.

"Look."

"At what?" Sasuke asked.

"The sun, Uchiha."

"What about it?" he asked head tilting to the left.

"Just look, teme...and feel."

Rays of the dying warmth washed over the scion of the Uchiha clan and a cool waft of wind fluttered his bangs. For a moment, Sasuke stood completely silent.

"Close your eyes." A soft order whispered into his ear.

Against every notion of his sanity, he complied.

"Don't think...feel."

For the first time in a long while the Uchiha felt...safe...warm...protected...and emotional; one word sprang to his mind:

'_Mother.'_

A gasp, black eyes flew open. Breaking free from the hold, he a spun around and stiffly stalked back in the house, firmly trying to tell himself that those weren't tears at the corners of his eyes. In his room and half blind he and yanked out a small case in the bottom of his personal shelves and opened it. It contained the only picture he saved of himself at fifteen years old and his family at one of their Christmas brunch. The rest he burned to ashes.

Staring at his younger self; black haughty eyes alight with life and smirking up at Itachi who was balancing on a chair to hang a bauble on the tree. Mikoto and Fugaku were in the background; Fugaku holding his wife by the waist and giving a rare smile.

'_Mom.' _

(*)(*)(*)

"You have problems," the blond said easily, "You know that, right."

"Yes dobe. What's it to you?" Sasuke said, leaning on the wall where he had been observing the blond for five minutes in silence.

"Just that you might nee- "

"A shrink?" the raven cut in, "...like you."

Naruto smiled softly, "No... not me."

The Uchiha grabbed an apple and bit into it, "Why not Uzumaki, you do have a degree in it."

"I'm not licensed."

"Like I give a damn." Sasuke said.

The blonde glanced up from under his bangs, blue eyes scanning over the lean figure in front of him, assessing the situation.

"But there is something we can do." He said, walking slowly around the island and approaching the Uchiha.

"Enlighten me."

A hand rose up and gently removed the apple from the Uchiha's hand. "A challenge."

"Mind games, dobe?"

"No," he returned, "Physical... we spar...the winner gets the loser to do whatever he wants...for three days."

'_Strange'. _"And the point is?"

"You'll see."

'_Interesting... He already thinks he's going to win.' _

"And when is this going to happen."

A smirk; "Right now."

(*)(*)(*)

"You sure you want to do this, Uzumaki?" Sasuke said, tightening the belt around his Gi.

"Yup." The blond said, rolling his shoulders, and flexing in the loose pants the Uchiha gave him.

"Hn."

"Ready?"

They solely circled each other, Sasuke trying his best not to stare at the Uzumaki's bare chest. "I was born ready."

A lightning fast spinning kick was nearly missed a pale ear. Sasuke ducked and retaliated with a sweeping kick which the Uzumaki readily jumped over. Reeling out of the stance Sasuke regained his balance and crouched low; his agile mind trying to spotting the weaknesses in the blonde's stance.

'_Left leg...hamstring injury four years ago. Weakness."_

Delivering a series of punches to divert the attention to what he was aiming for; Sasuke calculated the speed he needed to accurately reach the spot. Ducking down under a backward swipe he spotted the chance and mercilessly took it. Hooking a hand right behind the knee he pulled hard. The blond stumbled but managed to catch himself and pivot on the other leg to smash his thigh into the Uchiha's shoulder.

"That was a dirty trick, S'uke."

A shrug, "Never said I was going to play fair."

The blond, moving faster than Sasuke could ascertain, was behind him in a second and the Uchiha found himself face down on the floor with Naruto having a strong hold on his left arm bent around his back. The muscle was pulling and sparks of pain were running up and down through his nerves.

"You give?"

"Never!"

Managing to reach behind him with the other hand Sasuke grabbed the Uzumaki's right knee and pulled. The blond lost his hold and fell but immediately tucked and rolled to the other side of the dojo and flipped up.

Panting, Sasuke cradled his arm and massaged feeling back into it. "Nice trick Uzumaki...where did you learn that?"

"A friend of a friend in Bali taught me Capoeira."

They circled again, "Hn. I know ai-"

"- Aikido, tai-justu, Tae Kwan Do and Wing Chun."

A raised eyebrow, "How?"

A smirk, "You're not the only one who can delve into a person's past."

With that Naruto released a barrage of attacks, aiming to push the Uchiha into retaliating and dancing out of reach when he did. Needless to say Sasuke was getting frustrated with every block and was steadily losing his control. Each technique he tried was deftly parried by the blond and he was on the verge of really losing his temper.

Glancing under wet bangs the Uchiha did something he had sworn to never do. He dredged up a memory when he and Neji were sparring and the Hyuuga had done one of his family's signature techniques, '_Rotation'_. With his nearly photographic memory he copied it and badgered the Hyuuga to teach him it.

It was a technique that made to confuse the opponent and its delivery required precise equilibrium, balance and precision to both predict the opponent moves and to swiftly deliver the counter attack. One he never mastered completely but it was his only choice right now.

Shifting his stance to place his stronger foot behind him he raised his palm and concentrated. Naruto eyes widened a millimetre.

Black orbs popped open and the Uchiha flung himself to the blond, spinning and turning randomly. The blond was confused and reacting abnormally; Sasuke could see it in the blue spheres that he had a short time to win.

Dipping down to sweep the blonds legs under him the Uchiha met air and suddenly found himself on his back with a sweat dripping blond breathing heavily above him and sitting slightly on his hips; both his arms were trapped above his head and the pressure of Naruto's bulk kept him securely pinned down. Sasuke struggled to loose himself but the grip only tightened.

Silence.

The blond leaned in to the Uchiha's ear; a drop of sweat was trailing down his brow and whispered huskily; "You lose."

(*)(*)(*)

The semi-warm water raining down on him made the Uchiha again revaluate everything he knew about the Uzumaki. Sure Naruto had some childish ways but he was everything but an idiot.

'_...dobe.' _ he sighed.

Getting out of the shower he absently dressed and made his way to the kitchen.

It was empty. On the counter was a metal dish cover and on it was a note;

_**Teme: My granny's signature Paella is to be savoured. Take your time.**_

"Hn." He said, lifting up the cover and gazing at the honey brown crust of the dish. Grabbing the fork placed by its side he took a small sample. His eyes widened.

'_Holy-' _

He paused. Fighting temptation was bitch so the Uchiha gave in and dived into the savoury meal. The blond could really cook...damnit.

Acting on a hunch he flipped the note over; it read;

**First**: _**No work for the rest of the week. And don't even try to sneak out to the office. Doe eyes knows. You are not allowed to do anything even resembling 'work'.**_

_**N.**_

The fork slowly dropped out of his hand, '_I'm screwed.'_

* * *

**A/N: I'm horrible aren't I?**

**Vocab/Translation: 'pendejo' **means **'asshole'. **

'**nan desu ka?' **means **'what is it.'**


	7. Gravity

**Chapter 7**: Gravity

**Pairing(s):** Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji

**Rating**: M

**Disclaimer**: Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...how I envy that sheer genius.

**A/N**: To all my reviewers: I LOVE YA'LL!...and I don't know... I just love a calmer, patient Itachi...yes; he's in this chap too...a mention of him at least.

**Beta**: Nope. Just me and my overactive imagination...and my inflated ego -_-

* * *

For the record Sasuke was slowly and surely going out of his blessed mind.

It seemed as if when he was prohibited to do his job, it was all he could think about. This hasn't happened to him, ever; and worse did not know how to deal with it. First he tried distraction; by watching all the movies he had on his laptop (a sad total of three, 'Rent', 'G.I. Joe' and 'Tekken'); that didn't work. Next he tried training; that was worse. Finally he tried meditation; but all he could think about was what he was missing at the office.

Screaming in frustration he went to the kitchen and promptly stuck his head in the freezer. The cold air did nothing but to give his sinuses an excuse to torment him for hours. Sniffling he flopped into bed about one pm; gazing up at the ceiling; wondering what in hell made him agree to the proposition by the blond.

No doubt about it; he was going crazy.

A chime: _**'Get dressed.'**_

Eyebrow skyrocketed. _"What the hell?"_

Sadistically he took his sweet time taking a long warm, decadent bath and then; slowly, went through his clothes, as he was going to take out the slick Hugo Boss suit another chime:

'_**No suits, teme.'**_

'_Damn and shit.'_ He cursed, going back to the closet and removing on of the pairs of recently acquired black jeans and taking out a silk white shirt, an old, unused, but still in mint condition, birthday gift, he got dressed grumpily.

"I'm going to regret this." He mused.

While fastening his watch the doorbell chimed. He opened the door and took in the blond, clad in tan slacks, powder blue shirt and his beloved leather jacket on, and worse off all, a smug smirk on his tan face.

"Ready?"

"What does it look like, baka?"

Eyes rolled: "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

Taking out his keys and walking over to his Ferrari the Uchiha was promptly stopped.

"No. S'uke," the blond said, spinning the raven around to face the silver Rav4, "You're riding with me."

"...In _that_?"

"Yes," Naruto said blithely, "In _that_."

Sasuke edged up to the high off-road vehicle like he was nearing a piranha or a raging lion. Scanning the car he eventually hooked a hand under the passenger door handle; opened the door and slid smoothly inside.

"Damn S'uke." The blond said, starting the car, "If that's the way you move when having sex, your partners must be dead."

A rush of blood coloured Sasuke's pale cheeks but he mentally crushed down the reaction. "Whatever dobe. Drive...where are we going anyway?"

"Somewhere important to me." was the reply.

The afternoon was unseasonably cold but being the 'ice prince of the underworld' he could buffet the climate. The highway was easy to manage, being paved off and all, but when the blond took a sharp turn to the left off an unpaved road the Uchiha had problems.

"What..." bump, "the..." bump, "hell...usu...ron...tankashi?"

The last bump nearly ricocheted the Uchiha into the ceiling.

"Hold on. It'll end soon."

And lo and behold it did. The rutty, potholed, rough road smoothed out gradually until they came up to a quaint looking farmhouse styled building; white picket fence, chimney; the works.

Sasuke stared, "Where are we?"

"The orphanage."

Sasuke reeled back. "This was the place-"

"-where I was living for nearly half my life; yes." Naruto said, getting out of the car. "Come on teme. We're burning daylight."

Still confused as to why the Uzumaki wanted to show him this place, he carefully exited the vehicle and gazed up at the structure.

One second...two...three-

"NARUTO!" was the ear-drum shattering scream that came from almost every part of the place. Children all sizes and shapes burst out of the door, running, tumbling and pressing to get to the blond. Sensibly Sasuke steeped back.

"Okay!" the blond said taking a step back to deal with the onslaught of kids grabbing at him. "Guys...calm down!"

Sasuke looked as the blond reached down and hoisted a small girl up to his chest who promptly stuck her thumb into her mouth.

"Kai-chan." The blond said reaching to gently pull the tiny digit out. "You know you should not do that. Germs."

The black haired girl 'Kai' simply nuzzled her head into the blonde's neck.

"Naru!" a boy about twelve years old asked, "Are we gonna play today?"

The blond clearly faked a frown, "I don't know Kamai-kun... I'm kinda busy."

A massive sigh emitted from the group; mainly from the boys.

"Bummer."

A huge face splitting grin crossed Naruto's face. "I'm kidding guys. Of course we gonna play! You think I would come out here to see ya'll and not fulfil my promise?"

"YEAH!"

About ten to fifteen boys raced back into the house, presumably to change. Sasuke just stood and observed the blond. He seemed to shine. No seriously; his face was radiant, blue eyes sparkling and animated.

A small tug on his shirt caused the Uchiha to look down and saw a small boy about seven years old with mousy brown hair, a sprinkle of freckles across his cheeks and piercing amber eyes peering up to him.

"You're Uchiha Sasuke, aren't you?"

Stunned that the boy knew him or about him he turned to him and affirmed, "Yes. And you are?"

The kid scuffed a foot in the dirt, "Uuryu. I know about you. I saw you on television at the aikido tournament. You were sitting with this lady that looks a lot like you."

'_Mom'; _he thought, "Yes, I was. She's my mother."

A small smile while turning away to follow the crowd lapping at the blonde's heels, he said quietly; "You're lucky to have one."

The Uchiha was practically planted where he stood; the simple phrase from the boy made him unable to move; until Naruto turned to him and shouted, "Come on teme!"

'_He's right... I am lucky to have one.'_

(*)(*)(*)

Clearly the day was a learning exercise for him. Sasuke observed the blond in what he would ascertain as his natural habitat; around children. He watched as the blond took charge of the kids; actually knowing each one by name and history. He watched as he divided them into teams and set up the playing field.

Glancing up randomly, he saw the blond crouching down to demonstrate the proper way to hold the football to a kid about eleven years old; his voice floated over;

"You see the laces here," he flipped the brown oval to show the white laces, "Place your fingers right at seam, grip and slightly twist your wrist to throw it... okay...now try."

The boy performed it perfectly. The sun couldn't outshine the massive grin the blonde had.

"Dattebayo!"

At this Sasuke slipped into the building to find a bathroom. After relieving himself, he paused and scanned the surroundings. Even though it was Spartan, it had a homely feel about it. The wood of the floor and walls were made of warm red oak, the furniture, continuing the nature theme, made of white sandalwood and ash oak. Large bay windows looked out to the playing field and the small lake.

Hand shoved into the pockets of the jeans he silently took in a world dimensions away from his. He was reared in opulent but cold home; this place was poor but so full of life, and warmth. He grew up lonely with mainly the servants as his companions because his parents were so busy; these children had people who actually took time to know them. He could get every and anything he wanted with just a glance; these kids had to earn what they needed.

In hindsight, (which was a bitch) these kids had much more of what really mattered than he had.

A sigh.

"It's beautiful...isn't it?"

Controlling his startled reaction; he slowly turned around and faced the woman who uttered those words.

"The scenery?" he asked.

"No," the middle aged woman said stepping up beside him and nodding to the blond who was apparently rolling in the grass with five children on top of his person, "_Him_."

"Hn."

"Admit it Uchiha-san." She said calmly.

Diverting the attention from him; he asked; "And you are?"

"Chiyo...the head cook."

'_Strange...she didn't offer a surname.' _"I take it you know him."

"Naru-chan." She smiled genially, "Yes, I have known him for years... after his godfather died and he was sent back to us, he stuck to me like a plague."

"Why?" he asked, insanely curious.

"You see, when he was here, he didn't... get along well with the other kids... he was forced to find other companions. One day, I can recall, the Hyuuga family visited the orphanage, this little girl Hinata, was so shy that she didn't look anyone in the eye. I don't know what got into Naru-chan but he directly went up to her and asked her if she wanted to see his treasures."

'_Treasures?' _ he asked himself.

"Turned out that his 'treasures' were just small objects that his godfather gave him before he died; ...especially this one blue sapphire-stone necklace he never took off."

She smiled in recalling the memory, "To all of our surprise she went with him, not a Christmas past when he didn't receive a gift from the girl... I think they're still friends today."

'_Hyuuga Hinata...Neji's cousin.' _

"That's ni-" he started to say but was cut off by the blond sticking his head into the room, "S'uke. Come on!"

Rolling his eyes, he turned to the woman who was still smiling, "Chiyo-san. Arigato."

"Think nothing of it."

Following the blond out of the building he made his way across the field to an open lot full of blue midsized trampolines.

'_So that's why.' _He realized.

Children, taking turns were bouncing to their heart's content. Some performing stunts that if miscalculated could place them in the hospital; flips, spins, splits and mid-air cartwheels.

"Come on S'uke...try one."

The raven seriously wondered if the blond was crazy. "...You've been inhaling helium balloons, haven't you?"

The blond actually stuck his tongue out. "Spoil sport...you're no fun teme." Turning back to the expanse of blue canvas before him, he ignored the Uchiha.

Leaning on the bark of an old goshinboku tree and enjoying the shade provided by the copious leaves of the huge 'god' tree; he took to his new favourite pastime...watching the blond. The energy of the man was contagious, spurring the kids to keep up with him in almost every activity the blond could devise.

The whisper of the wind through the trees boughs was dangerously lulling the Uchiha to sleep, his eyes fell to half-mast and his body slowly slipped down the trunk of the tree until he was sitting, slightly ensconced by the tree's roots.

A wave of peace gradually wove over him like blanket; his eyes were narrowed to slits, but still watching the blond, performing the most inane flips on a trampoline.

"...baka." he murmured.

His eyes closed.

(*)(*)(*)

(dream sequence)

"_Nii-san!" Eleven year old Sasuke ran up to Itachi, basically hopping with excitement. "I can do it!"_

_The older Uchiha closed the book he was reading and turned red eyes to his younger brother, "Do what Sasuke?"_

"_The triple block! The one you said I wasn't old enough to learn yet." He smiled smugly, "But I can do it."_

"_How otouto?" _

"_Uncle 'Tobi showed me how." He said, stepping back and formed the correct sequence of blocks, "See!"_

"_Yes," the seventeen year old said, "But you might need to not tell Tou-san that."_

_The child was perplexed, climbing up on his brothers knees, "Why aniki?"_

_Itachi sighed, clearly wondering how to put this in terms his brother could understand, "Sasuke... Uncle Obito...isn't in good graces with Tou-san...they had a disagreement."_

"_About what?" he innocently asked. _

'About the leadership of the clan, that Obito wanted to usurp Fugaku's authority and put him in exile.'_ Itachi wanted to say but couldn't. "They just had a fight, brother...it's not that important."_

_Sasuke searched his brother's eyes and said soberly, "You'll not do that to me, will you nii-san?"_

_Itachi's heart broke when he realised that if he was going to leave the clan he would be abandoning his baby brother. He managed a smirk, "No, foolish little brother... I won't."_

(dream sequence end)

Sasuke woke up, staring at the waving limbs of the tree. "Itachi."

"Uchiha-san?"

He looked up, a girl about sixteen was staring him in the face, "Yes."

"Naruto-kun is asking for you."

Getting up and brushing of some stray leaves, he followed the girl down to the blond who was beside his car but ambushed by a horde of children.

"...coming back... I promise."

"When?"

You could practically feel the anxiety.

Naruto reached out and ruffled the hair of the boy who asked him the question. "Soon." Glancing up he spotted the Uchiha and a small smile crossed his face, "I have to go."

With the utterance of those words Sasuke could plainly see the spirits of the gathering falling. '_Damn... he has such power of them.' _

Getting in the car, the Uchiha wondered about the role Naruto had on these kids. Maybe he could be a mentor for the Akamaru project.

Hopping into the driver's seat the blond leaned back and sighed, "I hate this."

"...Leaving them." The Uchiha hazarded a guess.

"Yes." He said, turning the key.

At a loss, Sasuke could only come up with, "Look on the bright side, dobe...you did promise them to come back."

A smile. "Yeah... I did."

"Good." The raven said, "Now drive... I'm hungry."

"You," the blonde said, "Forgive me; I thought you ran off the souls of the dead."

Catching the hint to a popular anime Sasuke said, "Ha ha ha...I'm not Kikyo(1), baka. Now drive and find me a suitable restaurant, you plebeian."

"Yes sir."

"I outdid myself," the blond smirked, "admit it."

Sasuke could only grunt through gritted teeth, "Yes...do you want a gold star, baka?"

"For this," he said, nodding to the empty, privatised rooftop Hogake Head Mountain restaurant. "I expect gold _everything_."

"Sirs?" they were asked by the maître d'. "You table is waiting."

The afore-mentioned table was on the edge overseeing the valley, the mountain peaks and the river. Walking to the edge, Sasuke braced his arms on the wall, allowing the brisk breeze flowing up from the water's surface to ruffle his hair and allowed the cold wind to prick at his skin until he felt Goosebumps rising up.

"What are you thinking about?"

"How the hell you can afford to privatize this whole restaurant...it's peak time."

A smirk, "Obscene amount of money and some Uzumaki charm; now come; sit."

They moved over to the table set with elegant earth-toned tableware. The menus were already on the table just waiting for them to order.

The list of food was...Italian?

"I have no idea what this is."

"No worries teme... I'll order for you."

Sasuke closed the menu and pinned the blond with his unwavering dark gaze.

The blond fidgeted, "What?"

"What exactly am I going to get from this...experiment?'

The blonde leaned in to the table, propped a hand up and leaned on his closed fist returning the stare to the raven. "You're a smart boy...think Sasuke."

"The only thing I've learned is; I can't think about nothing else but my work... I suppose you're going to tell me I have an obsession problem, that I have strains of OCD and pathological denial issues."

A smirk. "Actually... I don't have to do a damn thing. You are doing it all...by...yourself."

Calling the waiter over he directly ordered; "Caesar salad, Lemon shrimp scampi and parmesan chicken, tiramisu and merlot for desert." He didn't even glance up to the Uchiha's stare. "I went to Rome."

"Obviously." The Uchiha said, drumming his nails on the table, "'Fess up, Uzumaki." Not his usual terminology but whatever.

"It's a process of regression. No I'm not going to hypnotize or drug you...it's aim is to push you to examine yourself; to come to your own conclusions about your life and correct them...by yourself." He said running a hand over his eyes, "Normally, we would require you to write down all of your failures and problems that you can admit to and how you might address those issues."

"So... Psychoanalysis, right?"

"Not fully, but basically." The blond replied.

"And how did the trip to the orphanage come in?"

A smirk, "Because I wanted to mess with you."

The Uchiha arched a brow waiting for the right answer.

"...and to get you to access some of your childhood memories; I bet you weren't this...stoic...growing up."

Sasuke didn't answer, one for the basic reason he just didn't want to and second, the waiter, a blue haired person in completely black attire, 'Suigetsu' something, deposited the first course of the meal on the table.

"Speaking of childhood memories," Sasuke said palming the fork, "this woman Chiyo told me some of yours."

"Ahh...Chiyo-chan...like what exactly?"

"Are you still friends with Hyuuga Hinata?"

"Yes...she's a paediatrician now."

"Hn," the Uchiha noted, "She's Neji's cousin."

"Yes." a small amused undertone coloured the reply.

The Uchiha shot a sharp glance up to the blond, eyes narrowing, "What?"

"Nothing," he said a smirk tugging at the edge of his lips, "...just that before I heard about you and Neji on the gossip train, I heard it from Hina."

'_Hina huh,' _, "Hina...You're that tight?" a dangerous leading to lethal undertone came out with the question.

"Yes...we are." Naruto said lips quirking, "...are you jealous, teme?"

A scoff, "Oh please." Sasuke said rolling his eyes, "You're not my type."

'_Are you crazy' _his subconscious taunted sounding like a pissed off three year old, _'He's exactly your type, idiot.'_ Sasuke ignore that taunt.

"Yeah right."

Sasuke left eye started to twitch, he grabbed his gold edged napkin, and flung the cloth in the blonde's face. The only reaction he got was a full bellied, melodious laugh.

Against himself, Sasuke's lips quirked. _'Baka.'_

* * *

**A/N: **The reference to **'Kikyo', **from **'InuYasha' **yeah**... **I couldn't resist...


	8. Balancing Act

**Chapter 8**: Balancing Act

**Pairing(s):** Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji and mentions of Ita/Kisa

**Rating**: M

**Disclaimer:** Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...how I envy that sheer genius.

**A/N: To all my reviewers:** I** STILL** LOVE YA'LL!...oh and I got a review from 'Sweet Dark Little Angel" asking when I'm gonna do Neji and Gaara; first this is a Naru/Sasu fic but to all those who ship them (me included) if enough people ask for it; I'll do it... It'll be a one shot tho. XD

**A/N2: **Ya'll know that the littlest Uchiha has problems.

**Beta:** Nope. I'm awesome like that -smirk-

* * *

'_I wonder which of the feats of Hercules I'm going to endure today.' _Sasuke though, wryly, nursing a huge cup of coffee.

Amazingly the blond had been silent for hours. It was almost midday and the Uchiha hadn't heard from Naruto since he dropped him off last evening after consuming, again, the best and most decadent chocolate masterpiece ever invented on the face of the earth.

Tiramisu.

Who knew he was becoming such a chocolate lover.

Scrubbing a hand through his hair and depositing the empty cup; the black haired mogul went back to his room and picked up his phone. He had one main issue to deal with and honestly, he was scared.

'_Mikoto...mother.' _

His fingers trembled over the digits, finally punching in the numbers to the manor, but when it came to sending off the call he couldn't. Finally he dropped the slim device and abandoned the effort.

'_I have more issues than I think.' _He realized. _'Baggage. How the hell did Itachi do it...break away from the pressure, the strain, the coldness...what superhuman strength did he have?'_

Unable to deal with those questions he grabbed his keys and took to the road. It didn't matter what problems he had, he had discovered a long time ago in college that the feel of the road under him and wind in his eyes magically made his problems disappear. Problem is; he hadn't had the opportunity to do it; now with all this 'free time' he could.

The drive, at nearly breaking neck speed, took him to the highest point on the Hogake's Mountain. Parking the car and leaning on the hood he viewed the deep chasm below and the rushing sound of the river assaulted his ears. Turmoil; that was one thing he could deal with. The spot that he, for some reason deemed 'sacred'; was one of the rare places that he knew he could go to just think.

Or stare into space; and currently that was what he was doing.

His mind started to reflect on the past two days with the blond. Honestly he was confused, a first in his history. Sasuke Uchiha; all his life, being the second son of one of the most prominent family in Japan, he had to, very early, develop the ability to analyse everything around him and decide how to affectively react in the exact fashion that Fugaku had exemplified; cold, detached and stoic; but now, with this wrench in the works he was slowly coming to the conclusion that _that_ was long gone and with Naruto in his life he was slowly changing.

Naruto had done what he and many more would deem: 'impossible'. He had actually gotten into his mind and had successfully unearthed the problems and the issues he had been either hiding from, buried under concrete layers of denial or completely avoiding. 'Problems' like the fact that he was tired; both mentally and emotionally and like the fact that he was lonely and only covering it up with his work; and worse like that fact that he was craving cohesive human contact but wasn't ready to venture out to try finding some.

And the blatant fact that he couldn't completely come to terms with the solemn truth that the Uzumaki was...affecting him.

Scrubbing a hand through his hair then rubbing his eyes he decided that he would just see what 'fate', the menopausal bitch, had for him to endure.

'_You better know what you're doing, baka.' _He thought wryly.

Glancing up at the sky he noticed the small but steady formations of rain clouds dotting the sky.

'_Time to go.' _

Heading back home, he mentally set a deadline for contacting his mother. He wasn't even through the door when his Blackberry chimed:

'_**Get dressed. No suits, no jeans...board shorts and t-shirt...if you have any, that is. Ten minutes.'**_

'_What the hell is he up to this time?' _Sasuke wondered.

Rooting through his massive walk-in closet he wondered where was the last time he did anything like this.

'_Never.' _His subconscious taunted.

'_You know,' _Sasuke active mind retailed, _'you are serious pain the ass.'_

Grabbing the printed blue Hawaiian board shorts, a gift from Itachi (the master of head games) the previous time he was in Japan; the gift was not-so-subtly combined with a note: _'Get out of your comfort zone, Otouto.'_

After slipping on white t-shirt he was fastening the laces to his old college day's trainers when the infernal doorbell chimed. Getting up to open the door he grunted out,

"I should give you a key."

A shark like grin crossed the face of the Uzumaki, "I'm so honoured babe. Tell me, are we gonna have kids too?"

"...you really think you're funny, don't you?" the raven deadpanned.

"Yea." He said blandly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Behind those sun-glasses the blond was wearing, he knew those blue eyes were glinting mischievously. He took a fast second to look at what Naruto was wearing: orange board shorts, summer blue wife beater and his sapphire stone necklace.

'_...especially this one blue sapphire-stone necklace he never took off.' _

"Hn." He turned back to grab his phone and his own pair of sunglasses. "Let's go."

"Aye, aye captain."

* * *

The blond drove with one hand the other tapping a tattoo on the window with the beat of the music playing. The rhythm was even paced but Sasuke couldn't even make out the words, but apparently the blonde knew every one of them.

'_...that true...love don't die...'__(1)_

'_What the hell am I doing...again?' _he acerbically asked himself.

Leaning back he closed his eyes against the wind and allowed the brisk breeze to play over his skin and just listened. Naruto's voice was deep, melodious and, damn it, seductive. The words crawled up his pale skin like trails of smoke and sank into his person. Why was he allowing this to happen Sasuke had no idea, but for once he turned off his judgement and just felt.

"We're here, teme... open your eyes sweetheart."

Black eyes, having the consistency of a furnace from lowliest pit of hell, pinned the blond. "What...did...you...just...say?"

"I said," Naruto repeated opening the door, "get out."

The Uchiha exited the car and glanced around; mainly foliage met his eyes but spinning around he saw a dock with a...

'_**OH HELL NO!'**_ Sasuke's mind recoiled.

...a jet ski.

"No freakin' wa-" He was so shocked he regressed to slang.

"Yes, way." Naruto said, taking a backpack out of the trunk of the car and grabbing the Uchiha's arm. "You're getting wet."

Sasuke watched waves lapping at the shoreline like he was gazing at the noose. "I swear, Uzumaki I'm going to sue your ass off if anything happens to me...do you know the accident ratio of those things?'

"Nope," the blonde said nonchalantly, stripping off his shirt, baring his ripped torso to the world, "But I'd hazard a guess to say it's like the one of getting hit by a meteor or eaten by sharks."

Sasuke sneered. "It's one t-"

"I don't wanna know!" He replied, "Strip."

"...what?"

"Strip Uchiha, loss of clothes, going commando, au natural...ring a bell?"

"...You've got to be kidding me." The raven said.

"Just the shirt Teme, the vest won't hold properly with the shirt on... Christ, you're so uptight."

Fuming Sasuke almost ripped the shirt off and immediately folded his arms. Self-conscious, he knew he was as pale as an albino rat. Working in an office 24/7 did that to you.

"...when was the last time you went into the sun?"

The dark gaze tripped form pissed off to homicidal. The blond rooted into his knapsack and flung a tube of sunblock over to the raven. After copiously applying the cream he grabbed the vest and securely latching it on his mind went down the list of curses and insults he knew...and it was a fairly long list. The blond was talking again;

"...ust hold on to me...okay."

"What?"

A blank look, "You weren't paying attention, were you?"

"Obviously."

Eyes rolled, "I'm going to go on first, you second."

"...wait...I'm riding..."

A smirk then, "...Bitch...yes."

A sharp one-eight spin and the Uchiha stiffly stalked up the gangplank only to be snatched up like a feather. He found himself over the shoulder of one tall, hulking blond in a cruel parody of the petty 'princess rescued by the brave knight' scenario.

"Let...me...down." he hissed venomously.

"Nope...you are coming with me." Naruto said, "And don't try to struggle, I do this for a living yaknow."

In fact he was right, all the Uchiha's struggling, twisting and pounding on the blonde's back was basically futile. He was placed down, on the condition that he would stay there.

"And besides," Naruto said, "I have the keys...so you're not going anywhere...unless you wanna hike fifty miles to the nearest town...in your shorts."

Damn it. He had a point there.

The football player was already sitting on the ski, and motioned the raven to join him. Warily Sasuke climbed on to the machine that was already deeply humming.

"Hold on, teme." The blond warned

"Bite m-"

The ski took off like lightning. Heart pounding the Uchiha frantically grabbed the blond around his waist, buried his head into the tan back and mentally uttered a curse. The ski was churning up so much water that in seconds had the raven dripping wet.

"RELAX!" was shouted of the shoulder in front of him, "Move with it!"

'_Yeah, freaking right.' _Sasuke cursed, inwardly, sputtering to remove the salt water from his flooded airways. The ski took a sharp left turn and shot into the air for a time that was the longest second of the raven's life. His nails sank into the blonde's skin.

"Hssss." Naruto released sibilantly.

The waves were basically pummelling the machine but the blond handled the thing like a pro. In the back of his mind, Sasuke admired the blonde's actions but consciously he was freaking out of his mind.

The ski stopped dead. Sasuke dared to glance up to beheld the mother of waves rushing at them. The blond revved the ski a look of determination on his face.

'_Oh fuck no.' _

Too late. The ski was already in action, racing to the wave that privately Sasuke thought obscured the freaking sun, climbing...climbing...climbing...

The ski shot over the wave, was airborne for a small eternity and landed with an almighty splash.

Sasuke felt his heart in his throat; scared out of his mind not realizing he was babbling incoherently in the blonde's back.

"S'uke, calm down."

The raven distantly felt a callused hand massaging the death grip he had on the blonde's waist. "It's over."

Slowly...very, very slowly he regained control of his faculties. His eyes slowly opened and took in the calm blue waters surrounding them.

"...Are you ok-"

_**SPLASH!**_

Naruto hit the water like the Hindenburg.

"What the hell, bastard?"

Sasuke's fist was still trembling from the impact with the blonde's head; eyes twitching and body still trying to control the spasmodic quivering; he spun around fire gashing from his eyes.

"WHAT THE HELL IDIOT!" he shouted, "Are you that crazy?"

"Nope," Naruto said bobbing up, and flicking the water out of his hair, "I've done that before."

"Well, I haven't." his vitriol calmed down slightly. "You could have warned me or something."

"Yeah I could," a dangerous smirk crossed the bobbing blonde's face, "But I'm not gonna warn you for this."

"Wha-"

A lightning fast move and Sasuke found himself full immersed into the blue, cold depths. The dobe had the gall to drag him off the ski and under the water. Struggling to resurface he broke out to the surface and gasped; spinning around to spot the Uzumaki so he could murder him; the blond wasn't anywhere.

"Bak-"

A hand closed around his ankle and dragged him down again.

The salt of the ocean was stinging his eyes but he forced them open to spot the blond who was paddling away from him.

'_Hell no.'_ Sasuke reached out and grabbed unto the blonde's wrist, dragging back to him with an unbreakable grip and pushing up with his legs to break to the surface. When the emerged the space between them was less than an inch; almost chest to chest the raven found himself staring into summer blue eyes.

Pinning the blond with his eyes and smoothing his hair back he grated out, "You're still a child, aren't you."

A devious smirk, "It's the best way to live."

Sasuke started to roll his eyes but the moron disappeared again. Damn why was he losing the blond so much. "What the-"

Arms wrapped around his middle, he had a spit second to catch his breath and then he found himself again in the water, just this time with a body pressed flush against him. Naruto held him under the water just against his chest while paddling down to the sea floor where he grabbed something unidentified on the sandy bottom and pushed up, without breaking the hold. Breaking the surface again the raven gasped in air and some part of him dimly realized that he was flush against the football player's warm body.

A beat.

His breathing levelled out. Black eyes ticked; before he knew what he was doing his hand reached up and splashed water into the blue eyes before him.

"Oh no S'uke...you shouldn't have done that...it's _**on**_."

'_Oh shit.'_

(*)(*)(*)

It was dusk when they, miraculously, stopped horsing around in the water. Totally exhausted, Sasuke hoisted his lax body up on the gangplank and summarily flopped down on the boards, letting the dying rays of the sun wash over his body.

He had to admit it; that was the most...stimulating... thing he had done in years. Even when rebelling with Neji (a direct goad to dear old papa) had not been so provocative.

Speaking of the Hyuuga, he hadn't heard from him since he left. Rooting through the water proof knapsack where the blond had stashed their cell phones and his keys he grabbed his blackberry and checked his personal e-mail. There was a message from the Hyuuga but as he was about to read it, the device was deftly plucked from his grasp.

"No Uchiha." The blond said, dangling the slim device up over the raven's head, "No work."

Jumping slightly to try grab the phone out of the tan hand Sasuke and feeling like a child trying to grab candy out of an adult's hand finally grunted out, "It's not work, baka."

"Yeah right."

The phone was dangling up above his head and like a sullen child, and way out of character, he crossed his arms and pouted.

"Awww...don't do that." The blond teased, "You look like Kyuu when he wants fresh meat."

Affronted by that description he drew back and buried his fist into the blonde's solar plexus.

"Oww, you're mean."

"And you're a blinking idiot, but you don't hear me calling you names."

An exasperated sigh while rubbing the area, "Whatever, man...we need firewood."

"..."

"Firewood teme, kindle, bonfire, cookout, campfire...ring a bell?"

A grunt, "And where do you suppose we're going to find this 'firewood'?"

"Under a marvellous creation named a 'tree'."

"Obviously... I'm not congenitally retarded."

"Then go find some."

Trying his best to not throw poisonous eye daggers at the blond he marched over to the line of trees surrounding the perimeter of the bay and started picking up the required wood. Arms full of dried twigs he traipsed back to the small spit of sand to find that Naruto had already embedded a circle of stones in the sand and was fiddling with some dry bush. He promptly dropped the load.

Twilight was creeping upon them and the Uchiha felt a waft of cold wind flittering up and around him and lifting his semi-dry bangs. The hue of the sea was shifting to navy and already on the horizon the raven could see the slight twinkle of stars.

A small spark of fire flashed by his vision field, turning back to the blond he saw the Uzumaki had already made the bonfire and was spearing marshmallows on sticks.

"What the h-"

"Come on...you can't tell me you haven't had s'mores before?"

Eyes narrowed. "A _what_?"

"S'mores, Uchiha: chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers...the epitome of camping trips."

"I never went 'camping'."

"Typical." The blond said, "What exactly did you do as a child?"

"Study, train, study, train, study and guess what," he sniped, "...train."

"So... boring, boring, boring, extremely boring and guess what," he smirked, "being a total asshole."

"Exactly." Sasuke concurred, sinking down unto the slightly warm sand and gazed up to the sky that was deepening second by second. He was going to ask the blond that same question but mentally slapped himself; his etiquette teachers would basically die if he even phrased that question.

The blond flopped down beside him; his head level with Sasuke's and the Uchiha, always sensitive to proximity, for once, didn't raise hell, but felt a waft of comforting heat radiating from the blonde's body. "Star gazing S'uke?"

"...actually," he sighed, "...yes."

"Really...what's up there?"

"Legends," Raising a pale hand up to the sky he pointed out a constellation, "... that right there is Orion."

"Who?"

A cold wind swept over them and besides his love for cold, being in the water for so long his body succumbed to the wind and shivered. Wrapping his arms around his chest he continued with the legend.

"A gigantic handsome hunter who was eventually killed by Artemis the goddess of nature; before that he was blinded, shot with an arrow and poisoned by a huge scorpion."

"Huh," Naruto said, hopping up to place a line of marshmallows at the edges of the fire, "Couldn't get a break, could he?"

Beside himself the raven snickered, "Nope, but legend says he deserved it, bragging about he was going to kill every animal on this planet worthy of his attention so Gaia, mother earth, sent that scorpion."

"Ouch...Didn't know you knew Greek mythology, Uchiha." The blonde's voice was a little distant.

The raven smirked. "There are a lot of things about me that you don't know," he said, "...you and most people." He tacked on lowly eye lids falling slightly while gazing up into the sky.

A large jacket fell on the Uchiha's shoulders. Sasuke's head spun around in shock; the warm material was the leather jacket that the blond wore and smelled like apple cinnamon and sandalwood. He glanced up under his bangs; the blond was busily toasting marshmallows.

"Come on, the fire's waiting."

Turned out that 'S'mores'; combination of sticky marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers were hedonistically delicious but you would have to slay Sasuke before he admitted it. His eyes were bopping and Sasuke knew that he was going to sleep like a baby tonight.

"Alright dobe," he said, clutching the jacket and heaving his body up from the sand that was tempting him to just lay down and tell convention to go to hell, "Home."

"Awww come on," Naruto begged, "Tell me some more legends."

"Like what?"

"...are there any lovers up there?"

Sasuke paused, mind searching for any answers to the blonde's question while his hands absently rubbed the loved leather. "No... not in the stars...but there is one I know of; tragic story about this young boy named Hyakinthos and his lover, god of the sky, Apollo."

The Uchiha sat up and drew on leg up to his chin and rested his head on it staring out into the night;

"They say he was so beautiful that Apollo kidnapped him and took him to Olympus to be his cup bearer. One day, they were taking turns throwing a discus and apparently, wanting to impress his lover the boy ran after it but miscalculated and was struck down; he died on the spot. Apollo, heartbroken, did not allow his lover to be taken by Hades, so he destroyed the body and used the blood to make a flower nam-"

"Hyacinth." The blond said.

"Yes." The raven said, pushing himself up while taking off the jacket and sadly but softly handing it back to the blond. "Time to go, baka. I need my beauty sleep."

(*)(*)(*)

At home Sasuke acted out exactly what he had predicted. Stomach full of sweets that he was constantly warned against consuming, the bed seemed to envelop him in seconds and before completely drifting asleep he made a decision to go see his mom the next day; Fugaku or not, he was going to see Mikoto.

'_Mom.'_

(*)(*)(*)

The Uchiha manor was as it had always been; a large, plush combination of traditional Japanese Meiji era structure and modern European style; intimidating and icy cold.

Sasuke steeled himself.

The last memorable time he was there was when he stalked out, fuming about his father's archetypical, aristocrat, holy-than-thou, vain bullshit. He never looked back since that day four years ago and now he was viewing the large entrance like he was watching the grim reaper at his door.

'_Don't let __**him**__ get to you,' _he reminded himself, _'You're here to see your mother, not __**him**__.'_

Glancing down to the small suede box he held he again wondered again if this was the right move. A voice sounding bizarrely like Kakashi went through his mind with: _'Nothing ventured, nothing achieved.'_

The pressure that fell down on him while getting out of the car felt like it was suffocating him, restricting his airways and causing his head to feel like it was floating a mile above him, but he had to do it. The doorbell chimed, Sasuke wondered how he had gotten so estranged from this place that he didn't even have a key anymore. The door opened and the brown eyes of the black clad form widened.

"Uchiha-san," the servant said, "we weren't expecting you. Please come in."

"It's alright, Hami." The raven said, stepping into the foyer, "I don't plan on staying. Where is Oka-san?"

"She is in her garden. Should I call her for you?"

"No." he said, "I'll go to her."

Navigating the way through the various hall and walkways he eventually made it to the backyard where he spotted the slim, elegant form sporting a wide brimmed hat, kneeling down into a bed of sunflowers.

He paused.

It felt like an eternity.

Forcing himself to step into the hallowed space that Mikoto deemed her own, he silently walked over to her.

"Hami, what's wr-"

"No mother," he said lowly, "It's me."

The shears dropped to the ground, a trembling hand went up to her breast and the pale face titled up to reveal widened honey brown eyes that was starting to brim with tears.

"Sasuke?" her small voice said with a mixture of hope and disbelief.

Reaching down a hand to help he rise he smiled slightly, "Yes mom. It's me."

Arms flew around his waist as the smaller woman buried her sobbing face into his torso, "Son."

He didn't know how long he stood there holding his mother but something in him cauterised and healed.

"'Ka-san," he eventually said, slightly moving over to sit them down on a stone bench in the garden, "...I'm sorry."

She didn't ask him to elaborate because somehow she knew.

'Mikoto calmed down, soft brown eyes traveling up her son's face, "Sasuke... it's I who should be sorry." Her eyes closed briefly, "I never stood up to your father like I should have."

A small smile crossed his face, "Its fine mother... I don't blame you." Reaching down he took out the small box and presented it to her.

"I didn't get to send you your birthday gift, here; open it."

Delicate fingers took the box from his hand and opened it revealing the shimmering stones of the white pearl necklace.

"Oh son," she sighed, "It's beautiful."

An analytical gaze passed over him, "What's wrong?"

It always shocked Sasuke to realize that the slight woman in front him could read him like a book. Forcing a small smile on his face he said;

"Nothing mother; why would you think that?"

"Because I know my _son_."

'_Damn.' _

"It's nothing really, just work." He smiled but knew she would see through it immediately. He sobered and turned to the formidable structure looming over them. "Mom...where is _he_?"

Mikoto sighed realizing that the tensions between her son and her husband hadn't eased at all, even after four years. "He's on a trip to Kyushu for the last five days."

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief. "Oka-san, Itachi was here..." this was the hard part, "He just didn't come to see you because of –"

He faltered. The woman closed her eyed, and even though he didn't see them he knew they were full of pain. "I understand." She eventually said.

Emotionally exhausted Sasuke stood up to leave but his heart almost tore seeing his mother's hand clutch at the necklace she still wore with a silver kanji of Itachi's name.

"Mom," he started, "I have t-"

She clasped his hand into hers. "Do me a favour son,"

Sasuke swore to himself if the woman asked for the moon he would find a way to give it to her, "Yes mother, anything."

A smile, "...Find happiness."

(*)(*)(*)

The parting words that Mikoto said still resounded into his mind while driving all the way back home to his house.

He couldn't answer her at that moment but he saw clearly that she knew he was struggling with her words. She eventually patted his hand and went back to her gardening, while he stood for a moment, lost in thought.

He left musing over the words.

* * *

(scene change 9pm)

The doorbell chimed.

Naruto heaved himself up of the blue chequered couch and crossed over the floor to open the door, and immediately stepped back.

Green eyes the consistency of faceted jade bore into his sapphire ones.

"Aren't you going to let me in?"

The blond stood shell-shocked, "...Gaara."

* * *

**A/N: Yep, I'm evil, aren't I? **

**Oh and the (1) is a snippet of the song from 'The Fray; 'Love don't die.' I love those guys. **

**Peace Out Ya'll**

*****Ja******


	9. The Interim

**Chapter 9**: The Interim

**Pairing(s):** Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji and mentions of Ita/Kisa

**Rating**: M

**Disclaimer**: Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...how I envy that sheer, utter, total, unparalleled _**genius**_.

**A/N:** **Warning**...I know less than squat about American football. You've been warned, all mix ups, freak ups and total crap, are the fault of the fact that I don't really know anything about football (just that quarterbacks are hot and every high school teenage girl's fantasy.) Remember I tried my best.

**A/N2: **Oh and '**maxridelover'** yes Gaara-chan is back with a vengeance but you will see later. –**smirk**-

**Beta**: Nope. I'm awesome like that –**another smirk**-

* * *

"A theme park, baka?"

"_A theme park..._" the blond said incredulously gesturing to the towering view of steel constructions featuring multiple roller coasters, "This is the _holy grail_ of theme parks; Six Flags is the most awesome, magnificent creation on this side of the world."

"Hn." The Uchiha said, "I never knew you were catholic."

They were standing at the entrance of the huge megalith structure that the previous government had allowed to be constructed two years ago in upper state Tokyo. It was a haven for kids, teens, and the (really) sporadic adult. And this is why the Uchiha was wondering who or what took his sanity and disappeared with it.

"And what are we doing here again?" he asked drolly, fiddling with his watch, still not completely comfortable with his clothes. He was sporting tan cargo pants, a blue and white t-shirt, and white sneakers, all brightly new and dangerously casual.

"This." The blond said jabbing his finger to the brochure that displayed a picture of a huge, blood red roller coaster, "It's the 'Jinkurichii', the most awesome, breath-taking, dangerous and scary ride in here and we're gonna ride it... I hear it's made some people crazy."

'_It's made people __**crazy**__ and __**you**__ want to ride __**it**__.' _he thought acerbically. Sasuke was tempted to run but he knew, based on previous experiences, the blond would just pick him up like he was a toy.

"I'm not setting a foot on that thing." He stated, eyes lowering slyly; "...but you can have as many rides as you want gaki."

The blond just smirked at the insult, "No, bastard, you are coming with me."

"No, I'm not." He deadpanned; eyes flat like slate.

"Yes you are," Naruto sing-songed, "The challenge, remember."

'_And damn you for that too.' _He mentally cursed. "Oh that...when am I going to be free of that, again?"

"Tonight teme...right after you come to see the final match tonight."

He paused, "What?"

The Uzumaki was scanning the map on the brochure, "Oh that." He said absently, "I'm playing tonight, and you're going to come, no excuses."

"...Shouldn't you be practicing right now?" he asked, a black brow arched.

"Oh no." the blond replied, "Kabuto-our coach- doesn't want us to tire ourselves out before any match. The hours before we are free do anything we want."

'_Unconventional'. _A sigh, but he was still bound by the agreement. No one could say that Uchiha Sasuke doesn't hold up to his promises, "Let's get this over with, dobe."

The made their way over to the booth that was selling the armbands for the ride, and predictably, they were about the only adults in the line, at least as far as the raven could see.

'_Adults...in body maybe,'_ he thought glancing over the blond who was basically bouncing on his feet in anticipation of the ride opening. _'Naruto...he's still a child.'_

The booth opened and the bands were being sold. The blond appropriated the slips of paper, one of which he promptly latched onto the ravens arm.

"You haven't eaten anything, have you?" he was asked.

"No." he replied, _'If you don't count a protein bar and the cup of coffee.'_

"Good."

The ride came to the stop and the handler waved the over to get strapped in. Sasuke wasn't the least enthused, this activity, he deemed, was for children. Surly he took his seat beside the blond and completely ignored everything else.

The hydraulics hissed with the release of the brakes and the ride took off steadily gaining speed.

'_Not so bad,' _he thought when the car dipped down a sink, _'Did he say it was scar-"_

A sharp curve around a bend and the car shot in the air to pull a mad max around the next bend. Sasuke was stunned beyond belief. The coaster then shot up in the air with a g-force that almost crushed him and then, in a second, plummeted down like a crashing plane.

Thought, reason and anything _even_ remotely considered common sense fled from the raven in mini-seconds. He was both terrified out of his mind and exhilarated beyond belief. Adrenaline flooded his system and his heart rate was nearing the rate for cardiac attack. The blond beside him was screaming his head off and grinning manically.

'_Oh FUCK no!' _Sasuke's eyes widened comically when he saw the next stunt. A massive nearly vertical loop of shining iron and gleaming bolts loomed in his vision field. Nearer and nearer the thing approached until the car shot into the vertical band. Sasuke, reacting unconsciously, grabbed the blonde's hand squeezing like mad.

The car paused at the apex of the bend and stalled upside down; for those five seconds when the wold flipped upside down his heart stopped. The ride resumed. Dimly the raven heard echoes of screams resounding in his head but didn't realize he was the one screaming.

A few more turns, rises and falls, a curve and a slight slope downward and then the car came to a rest. He was officially hyperventilating. The bars released by he couldn't move; not one inch. His head met the back of the seat and he was desperately gasping in air. He was officially hyperventilating.

"...S'uke?"

His ears were ringing. His name seemed to come from a mile away.

"Breathe, babe."

Still completely out of it he didn't hear or comprehend his new title. A gentle hand slipped under his arm and helped him up, and off the ride. His world was still spinning, and his stomach was revolting. Black eyes flew open and he blindly grabbed at the blond. Naruto seemed to instantly understand and rushed him over to a trash can that was either way to convenient or strategically placed there.

Hot and sick bile and god knows what else raced up his oesophagus and violently burst out into the iron drum. He threw up for a small eternity and leaned on the edge of the can like it was his lifeline, only dimly realizing warm hands bracing his waist. Finally finished he retracted his head from the can and was immediately met with wad of tissues and a sympathetic smile.

"Don't worry about it...it happens all the time. My first time, I threw up for about an hour, Iruka did warn me to not eat that whole tray of hot dogs but I didn't listen."

"I need to sit." He barely managed to say, his throat felt like it was scrubbed with sand-paper.

A small gazebo was in sight so they sat went over and sat down. The cool air, brushing over the raven's face blew some life back into him. He sighed. The blond, for once, was quiet until he broke the silence.

"You do this frequently?" he asked softly.

A curious look. "...Well...yeah."

A smirk, "No wonder."

"No wonder what?"

"No wonder...you're certified idiot." He said a note of humour colouring his words slyly referring to the '_It's made some people crazy.'_

"And you're a bastard, but you don't see me calling you names."

Sasuke smirked as his words were flung back at him. "You're learning."

* * *

The keys missed the bowl but Sasuke didn't care. He toed off his shoes, and headed straight for the kitchen, yanked the fridge open and grabbed the carton of orange juice and promptly put it to his head.

The day was, well...strange.

He closed the fridge and went into his room and flopped down onto the bed and reflected on what, exactly, happened.

He went to a _theme_ _park_...he allowed the blond to, (he firmly maintained) 'con' him into binging on a selection of junk food (which he also firmly maintained as nutrient worthless and hideously unhygienic); pizza, candy corn and soda, then they went to a video game store because the blond played something named 'Tomb Raider' and apparently the new version was out.

He hadn't received a call or any notifications from the office for three days and he was a little apprehensive (a.k.a. going bat shit crazy) of what was going on in his absence. Grabbing his phone he was about to call the office, rules be damned, when the unread e-mail from Neji was glaring him in the face.

"_Sasuke,"_

"_I have arrived safely," _a snort, trust the Hyuuga to never use contractions like the rest of the world. _"I will be back in Kohona in five days. New developments have occurred." _Huh...what new developments, about his contract he presumed, _"The details have been sent to your office for the official release and transfer of my contract._

Oh, he was right then.

_Your assistant has notified me that you are on a small 'leave of absence' and that all the necessary transactions will be satisfactorily taken care of_

_On refection I wonder what miracle or minor apocalypse caused you to actually take time off."_

Smug bastard.

_Hyuuga Neji,"_

That's it then, since everything was being handled sufficiently by Haku and his team he could relax. Glancing at the clock; it read four pm; the match was at seven so he had two hours to take a short nap and to get ready.

'_All right then,' _he said, setting his alarm for the time and closed his eyes.

* * *

The stadium was rife with life; blaring lights, loud noises and frosty cold; he'd been prudent and grabbed his fur lined jacket and leather gloves on the way out. He was expected to be seated in the skyview seats a.k.a, the 'nose-bleeding' seats, but he was placed at nearly field level just as the game was starting. He'd heard that this was where the 'wives' of the players were seated but discarded that thought immediately.

The teams ran onto the field. The Kohona's Wolfs were dressed in red and white jerseys and black leggings. The opposing team, the Raptors were dressed out in blue and silver from head to toe.

Sasuke couldn't fool himself, he knew exactly shit about football, besides what he had hurriedly googled on the sport. Apparently Naruto was the Quarterback, a.k.a. the field general and his job, per se, was to direct the plays and manage the scoring. As to why the blond wanted him here, he had no idea.

Glancing over the crowd, he stalled. Hinata Hyuuga, Neji's cousin, was not more than five seats away from him, bundled up in thick scarfs, fleeces and mittens. Why was the Hyuuga princess at a football game? He was damn sure it was way out of her social grouping.

_'Maybe she's here to cheer on Naruto.' _ He thought mildly; then something unidentified cut through his chest like a razor.

'_What the hell?' _he wondered, _'was that...je... jel... jelo.' _ Unable to even mentally pronounce the emotion he ruthlessly cut that train of thought off immediately. He got up and moved over to where she was seated and softly tapped her on the wrist. She looked up with that deer-in-headlights look that, if he remembered correctly, she always had.

"Uchiha-san." She said relaxing and pale cheeks slightly colouring, "...I didn't know you were an f-football fan?"

'_Impressive,' _he thought, _'she is getting more control over her stutter.'_

"I'm not really." He drawled, "Just here to support a client of mine," _'that he blackmailed me into.' _He mentally tacked on.

"Oh," she said pale eyes turning back to the game, apprehension profound in her eyes, "I'm here to cheer on my fiancé."

The Uchiha mentally reeled back but kept his visage impassive. _'A fiancé?'_

"I'm sorry, Hyuuga-san," he said, "I didn't know you were...engaged."

She smiled, "Not many know...we are trying to keep it until the formal announcement."

"Hn." He agreed, not unusual for the clan, they were traditional to their roots, "May I ask who?"

"Inuzuka Kiba." She replied a flush that Sasuke judged didn't have anything to do with the choppy wind rose on her cheeks.

'_Inuzuka Kiba...that name sounds familiar." _

"Congratulations." He said warmly to the heiress. She flushed.

The game started and absently the raven was watching the moves of the players. He had to admit, the men were the epitome of athleticism, the ripped bodies aside, they had sportsmanship down to a science, according to what he could see, there was no skirmishes or disagreements in the team. They were at the second down and the Wolf's were at flat zero points when the Raptors were ahead on ten. The game went to half time. The crowd was acting up and getting tetchy at both the time and the lack of score.

Sasuke could barely see the blond in the backfield, helmetless running a hand through his hair and a frustrated look on his face. Sasuke paused and an insane idea occurred to him. Grabbing his phone he called the coach Kabuto and when the man answered he ordered him to put the Naruto on the phone.

"Yes." A terse and tense answer.

"Naruto, calm down," he said, "close your eyes and breathe and listen to what I'm telling you."

Apparently he obeyed and Sasuke growled low and dangerously; "Get it together baka. You _will_ _not_ lose this or I _promise_ _you_ I will beat you till next year." Then in a steady voice; "you can do this, you can get this victory and most of all," he said smirking, "...you will not let me down...or else."

"...You do know how to talk to a man, you know." The blond replied his voice slightly amused.

A small smile, "My specialty, now get to it."

The game resumed. The kick-off was immediately grabbed by the blond and passed to Nara, then in a move like lightning the ball was passed back to the blond and he took off to the end-zone. Heart beating Sasuke watched as the blond twisted and turned, dodging the opponents, he passed the ball to the running back and he ran like lightning up to the end-zone just reaching it by jumping clear over an offense lineman and slamming the ball down into the zone. The scream from the crowd nearly deafened the raven.

The scoreboard lit up with a six.

They rallied again and peering over the huddle he saw the blond briefly rose up and gave a swift salute to him before sinking back into the cluster.

He smiled. Hinata privately marvelled.

A break and another kick-off this time the blond ran straight to the twenty-nine yard and gained additional five points.

One point ahead and the team was celebrating but a cruel turn of events and the Raptors gained another ten points. The ratio: twenty to eleven.

Damn.

Sasuke was slightly apprehensive about the time, the game started two hours and odd ago; they had less than five minutes left.

'_Come on, dobe,' _he willed, eyes burning, _'Man up.'_

The hike was shot into the air and swiftly grabbed by the blond, the ball firmly tucked into the crook of his arm and he was running down the field. Sasuke couldn't see but he knew there was a determined look on his tan face. Gripping the edge of his seat he leaned forward chanting under his breath, "Go, go, go, go, go, go."

The ten yard line was in sight but out of the blue he was slammed by two huge defence players who were determined to block him from the end-zone.

'_Oh shit.' _Sasuke cursed, standing up and gripping the railing of the banisters and with the adrenaline rushing through his body he felt like he was a second from exploding.

Ba-thump...

If Sasuke had a slow motion and a rewind setting for his brain he still couldn't come to grips with what happened.

Ba-thump...

The blond was blocked for a second by the two huge players but he- and this was the part that got sketchy- he seemed to hunker down over the ball, get a foothold and pushed against them.

Ba-thump...

The men, while holding, had to compensated for the force the Naruto was exerting and were pushed back, one line, one more line...one more yard...the clock was ticking down...one more yard and:

The crowd exploded.

The scoreboard lit up twenty-one, and summarily declared victory for the Wolf's. Sasuke slumped back into his seat. He felt like he had just gone through a hurricane. Unknown to him, Hinata smiled silently approvingly.

The chaos was still resounding around them but Sasuke was in a world of his own. Eyes closed, and a fist slowly clenching and releasing on his thigh he sighed relief.

'_You did it, dobe.' _

A small tap on his shoulder, he looked up, from weary but obscenely pleased obsidian eyes. "Hinata-san?"

She smiled, "It's over..." Here she paused and glanced up slightly from under her bangs, "...ummm, would you like to come see Naruto with me? I m-mean I have a-access to see Kiba after the games... but I can always bring someone too." She asked.

"Arigato." He said, closing his eyes again to regain composure.

* * *

The shower room was packed to its limit, but that didn't stop the whole team from horsing around like children. The euphoria in the room was palpable, what with riveting memories of the spectacular win.

"I swear man!" Kiba shouted to the gathering rubbing his wet hair, "I thought Naru was going to be road kill when those two, tweedledumb and tweedledumbfuck were done with him."

"YEA!" was shouted.

"Tell me man," Kankuro said, "What got you to even find the strength to push those fuckers...they looked like elephants."

The blond just smirked mysteriously and ripped off his sweaty and dirty jersey and pads.

Silence.

"Whoa..." someone said, "Who was the hell cat that did that... I want her number."

Naruto just brushed a hand over the red scratches across his chest. "No dice, kid...I guarantee you can't handle it."

"Oh yeah," Kiba said stepping up, "...from the size of the scratches and the finger placement, I'd say..." a smirk, "...it's not a woman."

Another silence, this time so loud it was ringing in everyone's ears. Naruto just playfully clasped the Inuzuka's head in an arm lock hold and rubbed his knuckles across the messy head.

"So what?" he said releasing Kiba, "Ya'll know I'm Bi."

"Was it Gaara?" Kankuro asked.

"No." was the succinct reply, "And stop nosing in my business."

"Why?" the Sabaku said, "I know he was in town last night."

"Yes he was." That's all he offered up, fully dressed Naruto turned around to find himself barricaded against the lockers. Blue eyes tripped from one person to another, "Guys...what exactly is going on?"

"'Fess up, Uzumaki." Kiba said arms crossed and eyebrows lowered, "Who gave you those?"

"Nope." He said blithely, "Not telling."

"Then you aren't going anywhere." Kankuro said in the same tone. "...Unless you confess."

The blond leaned back against the cold metal, and scanned the room. "Like ya'll have a chance in hell of stopping me."

"Maybe not but we do have-"

A knock pounded on the door, "Guys," was hollered though the door, "Kiba and Uzumaki, You have visitors."

A pause...then a comprehensive unholy smile crossed almost every face in the room. "Five minutes guys."

"It him, isn't it?"

Naruto flung a towel at the inquisitor, "None of your beeswax."

"Hinata is out there, so whoever she is with must be your 'hellcat'." Kiba said, while finishing pushing his head through a sweatshirt.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Did I say, I really don't give a damn what ya'll think." He said lacing up his sneakers and hefting his duffel bag up on his shoulder and opening the door, glancing over his shoulder to the Inuzuka. "Ready."

A shove and a smirk, "Yea."

They didn't even try to stop all the peering faces craning their necks to see who was on the other side of the door.

Kiba dipped down and hoisted Hinata in the air, spinning her around. Sasuke just leaned on the wall, observing the happy couple before his eyes shifted to the blond. Unfolding his lean body he sauntered up to Naruto, hand in his pockets and paused just inches before him.

Eyelids dropped half-mast over dark irises, "Not bad Blondie... not bad at all."

Knowing that every freaking body in the adjacent room was staring at them Naruto reached out and grabbed the Uchiha by his lapel and pulled him in, bending down to his pale ear he whispered, "Do I get a reward, teme?"

"Yes," he said, now comfortable with Naruto in his space, "I won't beat you into next year."

"Uh huh." He replied, "I was thinking more like this."

"Wha-" he started to say but was cut off by a pair of soft peach lips on his own.

For the record, time stopped. Kiba's (and basically everyone who was observing the act) jaws dropped to the ground.

* * *

**A/N: Nope, for all you those who want to know what happened between Naru and Gaara-chan...You're out of luck. XD...yep I'm evil.**

**(Oh come on... I can't give everything away... I'll reveal everything in time.)**

**Oh and for the football scene, I admit that I blatantly stole a scene from 'The Best Man's Holiday' and for the record I don't own that also...please don't sue. **

**Peace Ya'll.**

**Reviews and mad rabid screaming for my ultimate demise will be welcome. I can just imagine the eye-daggers I'm gonna get for this cliffie...bring it.**

**-smirk-**


	10. Dangerous Desire

**Chapter 10**: Dangerous Desire

**Pairing(s):** Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji and mentions of Ita/Kisa

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...and if by any chance you, Kishimoto-sama, are reading this, (not likely) **I** **ADORE** **YOU**!

**A/N**: Guys, guys...come on gimme some slack here. This is for '**Madridelover'** and **'Sweet Dark Little Angel'** ...you Gaara lovers fans you. Oh and '**KatVal'**...you're right "**Torrid**" is insanely good. Thanks for the tip!

**A/N2: **Extra-long chapter here.

**Warning**: **This chapter contains unadulterated sex. If you're under age in whichever country you are in, ****DO NOT READ THIS****, I really do not want to get all my work deleted. So please kiddies, don't read this and if you do and all you faculties get flipped upside down or totally demolished I'm not responsible. I toldja so. **

**Beta**: Nope. I'm _still_ awesome like that –smirk-

* * *

_(*)(*)(*) scene change (*)(*)(*)_

The high rise condominium looking over the deep blue Kohona bay was spotless; clean lines set in an open but minimalistic nature, soft earth toned colouring, light beige darkening to burnt gold and deep russet, bare elegant surfaces, plush wall-to-wall chocolate carpet and minimum decorations; perfectly suited to his nature.

Neji Hyuuga was standing barefooted, staring out the glass wall the separated him from the fathomless depths one hand into his pocket the other swirling a glass of white wine. The blue ocean seemed to be acting up, waves were rising and falling randomly. Neji hoped this wasn't a pitiful metaphor for his present condition.

Outwardly he looked perfectly composed, grey pants knife edged, blue sweater in perfect place, meter long cinnamon hair immaculately falling down the length of his back to brush against his thighs and patrician sculpted face currently sporting a look of bored elegance; but inwardly he was sweating bullets.

He had never been this apprehensive in his life. Ever.

Seeming to gaze out to the ocean, his inner mind was focused on a pair of deep emerald green eyes and fire red hair.

Gaara.

He shivered.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he was tracking the time; the Sabaku was to meet him soon. His personal antique Go board, the one painstakingly crafted with delicate ivy vines trailing around the edge with rare obsidian and pearl stones, was already positioned perfectly on the low table in the den, just waiting on the tactician's appearance.

Pale lids rimmed with chocolate lashes lowered over moonstone eyes, he swirled the wine absently. He had flown back to Kohona as soon as he was done in Shanghai, not taking the offer of the luxurious hotel that was primed for him. How providence allowed him to meet someone who could match him in every way possible he couldn't understand. His clan had always held the belief that 'fate' was a present, enigmatic and formidable force that wasn't to be tested so he was just allowing it to guide him.

A vision of black hair and obsidian eyes flashed before him.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Years ago he had been under fire from his elders for getting into a relationship with a member of one of the clans historical enemies, but he didn't care. Aside from the fact that he was...different...he was a member of the 'Branch' clan. He had no future in the clan anyways so he just summarily told the elders to 'go to hell' and waltzed out. Using the trust fund money from his father to complete his education and forge his own way into the world he could care less about the hang ups of his family.

The Uchiha was his past.

The doorbell chimed.

And this was his probable future. Pale fingers tensed around the flute of wine.

He crossed the floor, and opened the door to take in the Sabaku clad in emerald green silk shirt that just emphasized his jade green eyes and highlighted his fiery red hair.

He paused mesmerized.

A red brow was quirked and he realised he was acting like a love struck pre-pubescent girl. Mentally shaking himself he stepped back slightly.

"Come in."

* * *

_Naruto reached out and grabbed the Uchiha by his lapel and pulled him in, bending down to his pale ear he whispered, "Do I get a reward, teme?"_

"_Yes," he said, now comfortable with Naruto in his space, "I won't beat you into next year."_

"_Uh huh." He replied, "I was thinking more like this."_

"_Wha-" he started to say but was cut off by a pair of peach lips on his own. _

_For the record, time stopped. Kiba's (and basically everyone who was observing the act) jaws dropped to the ground. _

_During those five seconds the Uchiha was busy trying to figure out 'what the hell was happing'._

If time could spin out of context, lodge in space and be suspended for a small eternity, that phenomenon was exactly what the Uchiha was experiencing; like he was stuck, suspended in a time loophole, until he felt the lips shift against his.

Unconsciously Sasuke titled his head slightly to the left and allowed his lips to open a bit, just enough for the tip of the blonde's tongue to flicker across his the inner bottom lip then he pulled away. The blonde's eyes were dancing, lips tilted into a superior and smug smirk; in total contrast to the shell-shocked reactions of the group of people staring at them like the Armageddon had just happened.

Naruto leaned into his ear, breath dancing over his ear and husked, "Well done teme...well done indeed."

Sasuke for his part was still reeling with the barrage of emotions that just ripped through him; confusion, astonishment, shock, want and lastly raging desire. That simple kiss did something to him he couldn't explain, he tried to reason it out, but his train of thought was seriously muddled. That didn't stop the Inuzuka from ruining the moment though.

"GAH!" Kiba shouted, apparently just coming out of the shock hazed stupor, "I knew it!"

Naruto just glanced over his shoulder, "You knew what dog-breath?"

"You and the Uchiha," He replied, "doin' the nas-."

He was promptly smacked by Hinata, pale eyes glaring at him, "Kiba," she said poisonously sweetly, "What have, I told you about your manners?"

The Inuzuka shut his mouth so fast his teeth clicked, "Sorry guys, but I knew ya'll were up to somethi-"

Another smack, "Damn it woman," he said, "That hurt."

Hinata rolled her eyes, "Kiba." She said expectantly, eyebrow imperiously arched in a manner that forcefully reminded Sasuke of Neji.

The Inuzuka sighed, and muttered face down, "I'm sorry guys."

"Whoa," Naruto said eyes wide, "Hina, you've trained him."

The look that Kiba gave to the blond was akin to poison loaded with atomic bombs, tear gas and a barrage of sharp objects. The brunette walked over to him and hugged him pulling his head down and whispering into Naruto's ear, "I'm glad for you."

Kabuto emerged from the side door grinning. "Kid," he said, "You did it...we are officially fully sponsored for the next three years."

The smile that crossed the blonds face was contagious and beside himself the Uchiha actually smiled a bit himself.

"You're still not going to enlighten us how the hell you managed to pull of that touchdown?"

A sly look to the raven beside him; "Nope."

The coach sharp eyes tracked the movement to the Uchiha but deciding to not push he just shrugged, "Anyways, excellent work kid."

"Dattebayo!" he turned to go but was stopped by Sasuke's nodding to the pair behind them.

"I think before this night is over you're going to have to make some plausible explanation to _them_." '_and me' _He said, nodding to the gaping audience. "...Good luck, dobe."

Naruto turned and spotted the rest of the team still partially paralyzed. He grimaced. "...fuck."

"Hn." He said, "I'll wait for you in the park, try and stay in one piece, will you?"

(*)(*(*)

The frosty air was seeping into the ravens lungs but that didn't faze him for a second, what got to him was why he was still feeling the impressions of the blond lips on his own and why in hell were his knees so wobbly.

Reaching his car he leaned on the hood and stared up into the fairly fair sky. The moon was fully out tonight and shining benignly on him.

Reason and desire were raging a war within his mind. First it was basically suicide to be in a relationship with a client, just like a relationship in the workplace, it went against so many laws of basic sense. If the media found out it would be the death of his company, his reputation and his carefully crafted life. If the relationship failed; like so many celebrity breakdowns, he would be never be able to live it down. His father would be proved right in this instance and _**that**_ was one thing the Uchiha couldn't live with.

He could just see the headlines now: "**UCHIHA HEIR; UNDONE: TORRID RELATIONSHIP ON THE ROCKS**."

Sasuke scrubbed a hand over his face. No bones about it, he had to set the Uzumaki straight the second he saw him, this wasn't going to work anyhow; they were so different.

'_Different it what you need, baka.' _His subconscious chimed in, _'think of all the people you've been with, they've all been the same...aloof, stoic, afraid to show or provide what you need and last and most of all, just __**like**__ you. And now you meet this person who goes against every grain you think you need; who is actually leading you out of your rut and you're going to let him walk away?'_

A sigh. Naruto was different in so many ways. Loud, sure, unconventional, definitely; everything a 'son' of the prevailing clans in the country would have the sense to stay far away from.

Subconscious acted up again: _'He's smart, and sees through your apathetic act like cellophane.'_

That's true.

His head fell back to the Ferrari's hood and just stared into the sky. A cloud passed over the moon for a minute or two he was plunged into darkness.

"Star gazing again S'uke?"

He opened his mouth but couldn't force the words he needed to say out. _'This isn't going to work, you're a client of mine...we are so different...we can't do this...if the press find out we'll be slaughtered.'_

What came out was, "Dobe...what happened in there was-"

"Oh no," Naruto cut in. "Don't you dare come to me with the 'Not Gonna Work' speech. Keep it."

He handed a bag to the raven, in the dim moonlight Sasuke read, **'Roots Underground: Men's Clothing."**

"What?" he asked completely perplexed,

"The night's not over yet. We have one more place to go to."

Sasuke peeked into the back and saw nothing but black. "And that is?"

"The Club: Onyx."

(*)(*)(*)

The leather clung to his legs like a prayer.

The black pants conformed to his shape like they were made for him. The blood red turtle neck vest was even more so and fitted exquisitely on his torso just brimming the top of the pants. The boots, biker style were his exact size and the raven wondered how the hell the blond could guess his exact size.

When he reached home he had immediately grabbed the bottle of Vodka. He needed some liquid courage if he was going to go through with this. He hadn't been in a club in years; the last time was when he and Neji dared to go to a rave in Tottori prefecture where Miyavi was performing. The music was sex itself; the low sultry hypnotic tones of the singer invoked the crowd do nothing act on their base desires. He had been teased until the brink of insanity and voracious desire.

He smirked, the sex he had that night was astronomically good.

A glance in the mirror sent a huge rush of memories to him. Days when he was bolder, more willing to try the unknown, days when he wore kohl around his eyes and streaked his hair an outrageous colour every day. Days when he would give a damn who saw him, days when he would actually tell the status quo to go to hell.

That was a past life.

This is the present and he needed to live it.

And by the way... what the hell was he doing, again?

'_Getting out of your comfort zone.' _The thought sprang up courtesy of his traitorous inner mind. _'Getting a life.'_

He turned around to view his reflection from behind. His ass was perfect.

Another smirk. _'Let the games begin.'_

The doorbell chimed, it seemed he couldn't stop smirking, "Naruto."

He went out to the den opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widened. He could practically feel his pupils dilating. In front of him was sex personified.

Naruto, leaning on a wall, long legs wrapped beautifully in grey leather, topped with sleeveless bone white vest; his corded tan arms wrapped in fingerless white gloves climbing up to his shoulders. Eyes lined with blue kohl, hair spiked with sporadic locks of hair streaked bone white and shimmering silver.

Minutes passed.

"Did Medusa look at you or are you just overawed by my magnificence?"

Sasuke snapped out of the daze, arched an eyebrow and said, "You are a cocky sonofabitch, you know that right?"

"Born and raised." He drawled, eyes sweeping over the from in front of him. "Damn S'uke...you look good enough to eat."

Black eyes rolled, "Not on the menu. Let's get this over with."

He grabbed his keys and stepped out into the night.

* * *

Neji sat back, totally astonished.

He was trapped, literally. For the first time in his life he was actually backed into a corner in his speciality: 'Go'. He had played with the best of the best in most of the five countries, no one had ever had the upper hand on him, ever; but this man from Suna had captured the majority of his pieces in less than an hour and the last of his pieces were trapped in a 'ladder' formation.

Gaara jade eyes scanned over the Hyuuga, "You're not accustomed to this, aren't you?"

A small laugh, "The last time I lost was when I was five years old, playing against my Uncle." Silver eyes cut up to stare into jade ones. "It had never happened since."

"How?"

"Because I told myself, at five years old, that I would do everything in my power to never lose again... at anything; physical or mental."

A quirk of lips, "That's impossible. You can't win at everything every time."

"I would like to." Neji said, getting up to retrieve more wine from the island. "With my family, you are pushed to be perfect."

"No one is perfect." The redhead said, "I should know."

Neji turned around to find the Sabaku looking out the bay windows, carried the flutes of wine over to him and asked; "...what happened?"

Gaara turned around, "I was born with a problem; I have chronic insomnia and an over average psi scoring and at four year old I developed an eidetic memory. Growing up I was an outcast for everything; I just was not interested in 'childish' activities; when every child, even my siblings, were outside playing; I was inside groomed to be perfect by the clans elders; to take charge of the family's business and to exemplify the Sabaku bloodline. I was sent to a school that catered to 'geniuses', there I tried everything to act normal to see if I could make friends. I didn't. Instead, upon repeated failure I gave up and set my mind to outperform everyone in the school. My grades were perfect, outstanding, I think I even displaced one of the faculty's premier members in an IQ test; I won prizes at everything academic ...until I had a series of nervous breakdowns."

Gaara took a sip of the red wine, eyes hooded slightly.

"I was sent to a psychiatric facility. One day while doing some errands, I met someone that shook me to my core. He was...different... didn't even care what other people thought of him. He never pretended to be anything he wasn't, but the one thing that he imprinted on me was his undying positivism. He pressed on me that I don't have to be the 'epitome' of perfection. I don't have to live up to everyone's expectations of me."

A smirk, "He made me realise that the only standards I had to live up to were my own."

Neji blinked, picking up on the soft tone that Gaara was using indicated a deeper relationship with this person, he asked; "Is he still in your life?"

Gaara titled his head and stared the Hyuuga in his eyes, "Are you asking me if I'm in a relationship, Neji?"

"Yes." He returned blatantly, not breaking the look.

A minute, the redhead deliberately sipped the wine. Neji was internally combusting with curiosity. A smirk, then;

"...No."

* * *

The club was in what the majority of Kohona's populace would call 'The Hip Strip'; a line of clubs, bars, theatres, and casinos in the downtown part of the city.

Club 'Onyx'.

It was a three story establishment. The ground floor was the regular club, with the dance floor situated in the middle, banked by upper eaves which held tables for eating and drinking. The top floor was mainly used for private parties, but the one that the Uchiha was led to was the basement one, the one that catered to the anonymous people that just wanted to dance the night away.

The place was dark with just a line of neon green running the edges of the room. The dance floor was packed with bodies shifting sinuously. The energy in the place was reeking of untamed lust. Sasuke had no idea what he was going to do here. Scanning the place he spotted a bar and with a tap on the blonde's shoulder made his way over to the recessed table, and considered his options.

"I'd recommend Skyy Vodka martini."

A smirk, Sasuke turned to the bartender, "Exactly my thoughts. How'd you know?"

"Sixth sense."

The drink was being prepared and the raven glanced over to try spot the blond.

"Boyfriend?" he was asked.

A derisive snort, "No... just a friend that blackmailed me into this."

The drink was placed before him, "Well that 'friend' is going to get lucky."

The music was pounding and the man nodded over to a slight nook in the wall where Naruto was dancing closely with some guy with outrageous orange hair.

"Hn." He said, bringing the glass to his face, "I'll let him have his fun." _'for now.'_

Time slipped, the ground floor was slowly turning into a dark roman orgy and Sasuke was getting progressively drunk. One or two guys tried to hit on him but in true Uchiha style he almost made them cry with his scathing replies. Miyavi was on the speakers with his dark, seductive 'Gravity' and the world looked a little hazy to the raven; the music was resounding in his head and his body started to react to the music.

A hand wrapped around his waist. The only person who was that tall enough and had the balls to touch him was:

"Come dance, teme."

"All right." he agreed blearily, "but I haven't danced in years."

"Perfect."

He was led out to the floor; for a second Sasuke stood motionless; until this was husked into his ear:

"Don't move until you feel it."

Arms were wrapped around his waist in and the body behind him was swaying slightly. Sasuke closed his eyes, blanked his mind and allowed the music to wash over him. The song switched to something harder, DBSK '_Mirotic'_ slid out like liquid sex and molten lava. Pulse after throbbing pulse; the music sunk into his skin and crawled up to his mind and combined with the alcohol, he let go.

Before he knew it his hair was dripping wet with sweat; skin, under the leather, was damp with the salty liquid and hot hands found their way under the vest to grasp slippery skin. The body behind him was grinding up against him and Sasuke was giving back as good as he got. Memories of his college days were bombarding him like a hammer. Warm air skittered across his skin at the crook of his jaw and whispered in his ear.

"You were lying to me, you move like a snake."

"Hn." He said, spinning around in the hold and grabbed the blond head, "Shut up and dance."

The song switched to Gackt's '_Vanilla'. _Almost two full hours under pulsing lights and seductive music passed like nothing, Sasuke had let go of every vice he had and just decided to have fun for once.

'_White eyes,' 'Mirror,' 'Luna' _and_ 'Oasis' _transformed the floor into a den of vices. Through the corner of his eye Sasuke could even see a couple having sex in a corner of the room. He didn't give a damn. For once he just wanted to grasp the moment before he woke up and realised it was just a dream.

Black eyes flew open; he felt an erection in the small of his back.

"Don't do it." he was warned, "Its natural, you're sexy like hell and I'm coasting on a victory rush. Let it play out, Sasuke." The last part was growled in the depths of his chest and the raven just let it be. His eyes closed again; threw his head back and just danced.

A mouth latched onto his neck and was sucking like crazy. His neck arched. Fire raced up his spine and melted into his mind. He was officially and insanely aroused. This was torture in its purest form. He wanted but he couldn't have it. It was right in front of him but he wouldn't touch. It was like dying from thirst and having a fountain of water before him and unable to reach out and flood his system with it.

He broke away and gasped, eyes opened and dilated until his pupils couldn't be separated from his retinas. He shoved the bond away from him and rushed over to the alcove where the bathrooms were.

Barricading himself into a stall he clutched his hair and slid down to the floor. Emptions roiling rampart within him. Want, desire warred against honour and values. His head met the back of the stall, repeatedly, eyes closed, trying his best to gain control of himself.

"Sasuke?"

He swallowed; throat dry like the Sahara desert, "What?"

"...Are you sick?"

"No."

The door was pulled open and a hand reached down to grasp the ravens pale hand. Sasuke took it like he was grabbing unto a lifeline. Blue eyes brimmed with sorrow. Naruto clasped the raven's head and buried his face into his tan neck.

"I'm sorry."

A scoff; "About what?"

"I shouldn't have pushed you... you weren't ready for this."

A dry laugh, "Dobe, if you didn't push me for the last three days, I wouldn't have realised all the things I was missing."

A pause.

"You sure about that?" he was asked.

Sasuke looked up into brimming blue eyes, and smiled slightly. He reached up and tapped the blonde's cheek.

"Don't fret your pretty little head about it, baka." He murmured against the chest. "I'm fine."

A hand tilted his chin up to face a hooded marsh fire eyes, "I'm going to kiss you again."

Pale lids fluttered down over obsidian orbs, "...I won't stop you."

Lips met. His reality spun in circles.

(*)(*)(*)

It was two am; he had just come from the club. His house was dark and cold as always but under his skin he was afire.

Lust like some ravenous beast was clawing up his stomach, ripping his throat apart and screaming for satiation. He tried to control it, but not even five minutes into mediation he failed completely. Colours were swimming before his eyes, psychedelic blue and molten red. His skin was itching for touch and the last kiss the blond gave him before he dropped him off seemed to be implanted on his lips.

His head met the down of his comforter; ironically the soft sin of the covering sheet didn't do a damn thing to his skewed senses. He was itching for the hands of the blond. Screaming mentally he grabbed his keys and strode out to his car; one goal in mind; the Uzumaki. It seemed like an eternity to reach Rasengan Rd. The door was in sight; he got out of the car, slammed the door and pounded on the house door.

A small eternity until the obstruction opened and Sasuke shoved a hand on the blonde's chest and marched into the house.

"Sas-"

The other hand immediately placed two fingers on the peach lips before him. "Don't talk." He growled and attached his mouth to the blondes bare collar bone. Hands dipped under the raven's bottom and hoisted the smaller man up unto a counter.

"About time."

Pleasure, hot and thick overshadowed his mind, creating a fuzzy haze of desire; desperation in the ravens' belly raged to be fulfilled. His hands tangled into the mess of blond locks and clutched hard; like clinging to a lifeline.

The blond broke away from the kiss and hissed; "Damn S'uke."

A hand slipped down and pressed against the turgid hardness that was pressed against the blonde's belly. Sasuke pelvis rocketed up to meet the massaging hand. It felt so damn good.

The Uchiha couldn't account how he was naked in the next few minutes, all he knew was scorching kisses were being pressed into his skin; that teeth and were nibbling at his puckered nipples and he pressure of the tan, hot and hard body over him was like water to his starving soul.

The lips he was nibbling at disappeared for a second and he was in total confusion, where did they go, what happened. The hot orifice was attacking his belly, his thighs, teasing and taunting skin that hadn't been touched for so long; then:

"_Aaahhhhh_!" he virtually screamed. The blonde's mouth was wrapped around his pulsing cock. No words could even come close to describing being held in that hot cavern. His belly and throat locked up tight, not even a sound passed lips that were opened wide.

"N..Naru..." he tried to say but his voice was cooperating with his brain.

"Shhh." He was hushed, "Just feel."

And that was exactly he did, through the extremely long moments of exploring each other's bodies, the hushed cries, the wanton moans and the frenzied panting. Sasuke felt robbed when the mouth disappeared again. Before he was going to call out, his thighs were grabbed and pushed up to his chest, and;

"Buddha!" he gasped. Naruto was rimming him. The agile tongue was swirling and prodding at the clenched entrance, causing fire like a bolt of lightning to devour him.

"No, just me." The blond said a hint of humour in his voice.

Sasuke regained his faculties grabbed Naruto and shoved him down on the bed. "That wasn't fair, baka."

A smirk; "Whatcha going to do about it?"

"This." The Uchiha then proceeded to attack the blond body in every form of sensual stimulation he knew, learned form years upon years of practice.

The rare erogenous points in the body below him he had absolutely no mercy on. The centres of pleasure were more obscured than most people thought, it wasn't just the normal places that could stimulate pleasure, it was the places on the body that weren't obvious; like the tender flesh under the knee; the crook of the shoulder blade, behind the ear, the inner thigh, and the spot just above the abdomen; and the worst part of it, Sasuke was doing very slowly.

The football player was groaning and panting like he was being tortured.

"You give?" he asked, nuzzling the heaving body below him.

"In your dreams, teme." He growled, grabbing the Uchiha and spinning him over and under.

"Ready?" was husked into his ear.

"...Yes." he finally answered.

* * *

(*)(*)(*)

**P.s. I'm a fangirl but I think the sex should be left to your imagination. Put in what you want and leave out what you don't. I'm not a dictator of your fantasies. **

**Cheers.**

**Black Prodigy**

*****tbc*****


	11. The Aftermath

**Chapter 11**: The Aftermath

**Pairing(s):** Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji

**Rating**: M

**Disclaimer**: Naruto... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...and if by any chance you, Kishimoto-sama, are reading this, (not freakin' likely) I ADORE YOU!

**A/N: 'Dark Blue Princess.' **There is acknowledgment of your insisting the 'Disneyland/world' are holy grails of the theme parks in the way of; see below:

**A/N2: **Is anyone else out there that is a fan (a.k.a crazy maniac) for '**Pirates of the Caribbean'. **I swear, apart from **'RENT', 'Pirates' **is my _**FAVOURITE**_ movie _**EVER**_! (Ps if I could hijack Johnny Depp, I would, but since I can't, (besides all the prison time I would do) I shan't.)

**Beta**: Nope. I'm still awesome like that –smirk-

* * *

Sasuke woke up to a possessive arm around his waist and a rough, cat like tongue licking the back of his neck. It was, surprisingly, a comfortable and intimate gesture. His eyes fluttered open against the dim sunlight flitting through the shutters, but he remained motionless, just enjoying the comforting sensations. A nuzzle behind his ear.

"I know you're awake, teme." Naruto's voice was low, rough and sensual.

"Hn." He craned his neck to look over his shoulder at the blond, "_Good_ _morning_ to you too, baka."

A smirk, "This _baka_ made you scream last night so don't get prissy."

'_He does have a point there.'_

"Whatever." He replied, shifting a bit to stretch; then paused. The reality of what happened last night was staring to sink in and he wondered if this was a good time to bring a topic he was mulling over for some time. A sigh; talk about pillow talk destruction; better now than never, right? Couldn't go into this blind, could he.

"Naruto..." he started,

"Yes?"

He shifted and turned around fully to look into the benign blue eyes.

"Naruto...You already know that I checked up on your past...in Bali...Itachi said you had ...problems?"

"I figured he would tell that." A quirk of full peach lips; a callused hand ran down the length of the pale body before him. "Problems," he snorted derisively, "...if you call 'problems' abandonment issues, dyslexia, addiction, fe-"

"Addiction?" the raven cut in, eyes fully opened.

"Yes," he said truthfully, blue eyes never shifting from the dark orbs in front of his, "Drug addiction,"

Sasuke didn't even have to ask the question, his eyes did it for him while bracing himself for the answer. The blond tilted his head up to the ceiling a small, pensive smile on his face, his large tan hand still on the raven's hip.

"I was hooked on Heroin."

Sasuke reacted like he was electrocuted; sitting up fully to stare at the blond in shock.

Naruto continued nonplussed; "I used it to ignore my depression, two months after I started I got addicted to the numbness. I thought if I couldn't feel anything it didn't exist, I could just pretend that I wasn't the person I was, that my life wasn't total shit."

'_Chirst.' _Sasuke thought hair falling into his eyes.

"And this other problem," he said turning to the raven and looking him straight in the eye. "I had a host of identity issues; I skipped form one person to another like a crazy butterfly. Before I smacked myself in the head; got sober and attained my degree, I couldn't, for the life of me, distinguish myself from my partners. I relied on people to set borders for me and I stuck to them...instead of setting my own. Talk about major problems S'uke, I had them."

The frank confession sunk in and Sasuke, after processing all of it, managed to find his voice.

"Hn...We all do, dobe...at least in some context." He said starting at the ceiling, "When I was a teen I idolized my big brother and tried my hardest to live up to his image. Itachi was the family's genius, set and primed to take over the clan; the pride of the pack. He garnered my fathers' and the elders approval without even trying to...until he stood up to him and stated the he was gay, that he wanted to be an artist and he would never be trapped in the conceited lifestyle father was in."

Eyes narrowed at the memory and voice lowered with brimming anger, "I stood there and watched as our father struck him down so hard he had to be hospitalized for three days. After that I had to my father's full attention. I was to be the leader, the heir, a carbon copy of him; the patriarch of perfection."

He snorted. "I tried to follow for years but after I got involved with Neji and coming to the realization of who I was, I couldn't pretend anymore. I broke away and never looked back. No one is perfect Naruto, even if we try our hardest to be."

He was shifted to rest between the blonde's legs and to rest on his chest.

"I know." Naruto hummed lowly, nuzzling behind his ear.

(*)(*)(*)

"Hmm." Sasuke hummed, a midnight eyebrow lifting an inch while perched on the barstools in Naruto's kitchen, practically swallowed in the blonds huge bathrobe that he had to roll up the sleeves to see his hands. "That's ...surprising."

"What?" Naruto said, not turning away from his lemon shrimp scampi he was cooking. It was nearly noon when they finally crawled out of bed, after another long session of exploring each other's bodies to the fullest. Sasuke, lounging in the football player's huge bed was ravenous and after Naruto returned from his run; ordered the blond to cook, capitalizing mercilessly on the blonds culinary talents.

"Neji wants to meet me tomorrow at a café in central city."

A blond eyebrow skyrocketed while adding basil to the pot. "Neji huh... I thought you guys broke up."

"We did," Sasuke replied, idly petting a panting Kyuu under the table, "That's why it is so surprising."

A plate was settled before him just as he was finishing sending the reply e-mail.

"I wonder what caused him to do this?" he said picking up a fork and digging into the scrumptious meal an inwardly moaned. _'Damn it...Naruto should've been a chef."_

"Beats me," the blond said, dragging his tongue obscenely up the fork's tines eyes pinned on the rave. Sasuke shivered.

"You look like a fox doing that, you know."

"Exactly." He smirked spearing another piece of shrimp; "So are you going alone or what?"

Sasuke hesitated, "I'm not completely su-."

His phone erupted, it was Haku.

"Yes, Haku."

"Good morning Uchiha-san. Just a reminder, the semi-annual reports are due today and the board members will be here in an hour."

"Fuck!" Sasuke slipped out, slapping a hand over his forehead. He had completely forgotten about the meeting.

"Ah hem." Haku coughed, delicately pretending that he hadn't heard the curse. "Should I tell the board that you will not be able to ma-"

"No, Haku." Sasuke said, already in motion. "I'll be there."

"Understood." He hung up and rushed into the bathroom, to splash water over his face, dressed in his discarded clothes; grabbed his keys and strode back into the den, where Naruto was rubbing the fox-breed ears; Naruto and Kyuu's head tilted to the left at the same time, looking like confused puppies.

'_Cute.'_

"Whoa, babe; where's the fire?"

He snapped out of it. "I have to go. I'll call you, after the meeting." He said, opening the door, and with a quick kiss he blazed out the car.

(*)(*)(*)

At home he stripped like lightning, wound a towel around his waist and rushed to the closet and plucked out a pair of tailored pants and started searching for a suitable shirt. His mind was racing over the figures he had to present in less than an hour to a set of old patriarchs. Frustrated he grabbed a blue silk shirt and deemed it enough for the presentation. No time or inclination for a vest, tie and jacket. He was the boss, damnit, he could dress any way he wanted.

The shower was completed in less than five minutes flat; and the dressing even more so. He grabbed his briefcase and jetted out the door, to make the meeting.

Predictably the highways were jammed to the limits; bumper to bumper lines.

'_Damn, shit, hell and fuck.' _ He cursed, trying to navigate his way through the rush hour madness. It seemed like fate was just jabbing at him. Tapping his fingers on the wheel, a part of his mind was focused on the business meeting while another part was subconsciously reflecting on the night he had.

He closed his eyes for a second a shivering sensation washed over his person.

**BEEEPPPPP!**

Eyes snapped back open, there was a break in the traffic, and he drove forward manoeuvring his way through the hold up. Memories could always be relished after, now wasn't the time for that. With total control of his faculties, (and the comprehensive gift of the whole Uchiha linage) Sasuke put _those_ memories on the backburner and focused what was ahead of him.

The office loomed up before him. He parked and made a split second decision to either take the elevator of the stairs. He tried the lift but, predictably it was occupied. Stairs it was then. Darting up the steps he did a mental tally of his presentation. Bursting into the top floor he breezed past Haku and yanked his office door open, went straight to the desk and began assembling copies of the reports.

"Sir." Haku said.

"Yes?" he answered, shuffling through the pack of paper.

"The board is waiting."

He didn't answer, just grabbed his briefcase, took a second to glance in the mirror; he looked flushed, his hair was slightly messy and, what the hell, was that a slight _tan_? His skin, normally pale and milky had a _very_ _slight_ bronze sheen to it; how he hadn't realized the change was beyond him. Snapping out of the reverie; he grabbed the folders and with a quick hand through his hair made his way down to the board room.

Everyone was assembled, casually chatting away, so he stepped in.

The chatting paused. Seconds passed. Sasuke glanced up to meet gazes, if he didn't know better, looked frozen in time. An awkward ten seconds passed.

He arched an eyebrow, mentally asking: '_What the hell are you all looking at?'_

They snapped out of it.

"Good Morning. Let us get down to it." He said voice steady in his business-as-usual tone.

(*)(*)(*)

"What the hell?" he muttered to himself eyes narrowed just after a under sectary from the field sports department delivered a status sheet to him, she left his presence eyes wide and giggling. It seemed like everyone and _their mother_ were staring at him this morning. People, every level of the totem pole, were gaping at him; from the assistants, to the sectional managers to the head of the department; even Haku had a small smile on his face during the whole morning.

"What the hell is going on?" he mused, returning from commissary with his cup of coffee. It was after one pm and the probing looks weren't diminishing, in fact they were getting worse.

"You don't know, do you?"

'_Hell no.' _he stopped, wondering what egregious sin he did to make this morning so atrocious. Kakashi was again in his office and Sasuke wondered if he could get away with murder and blame it on 'aggravated disturbance.' That was stupid so he shook himself out of it.

"Hatake, what the hell are you doing in my office, again?"

The silver haired man was lounging on his chair, chewing on a toothpick, "Just checking on you, gaki. I was your mentor, you know. I have every right to get on your nerves."

That's right; Kakashi _was_ his martial arts mentor, a long time ago; being a trusted friend of the family, Fugaku, ruled by paranoia and wanting the best to oversee his second child; had made him Sasuke's unofficial tutor when he was about seven years old; before he left for a four months business summit in Europe. Kakashi, though he didn't show it, knew more martial arts techniques than thought possible. When Sasuke had come into the business world, his first move was to invite the Hatake to join him; but seeing as this was Kakashi's doorway to bug the ever living shit out of him he briefly thought of rescinding the motion.

"What do I _don't_ know?" he asked.

Kakashi sat up; directed and held a level stare into Sasuke's eyes. "You're changing."

A scoff. "Oh please." He dismissed.

Broad shoulders under a plain but obscenely expensive Chanel jacket shrugged, "Believe it, gaki, you're changing. Not the way when you were with-"

Sasuke glared enough to shatter glass.

"...him...you are different and everyone can see it."

A hand massaged his brows, "Whatever. Just tell me why you are in my office."

"How's the usurotankachi?"

Black head shot up, to find Kakashi playing with a letter opener. "What?" he hazard to ask, mind scrambling widely with suspicion. _'Why would he ask me a question like that? Am I that obvious? What __**exactly**__ does he know?'_

"I'm not an idiot, Sasuke. If Naruto hasn't got to you by now, you are either a zombie or slab of stone. He cannot have been in your presence for so long and haven't left an impression on you? So 'fess up Uchiha."

"I do not owe you any explanation." He glowered.

Kakashi nodded solemnly, hands forming an inverted diamond under his chin. A beat: "You had sex, didn't you?"

The raven reeled back, eyes widened a margin; then contracted to slits. Damn him for forgetting Kakashi's nearly psychic observant skills. "Wh-"

"Bah," the scarecrow said getting up, smirking at the reaction. "Don't worry about it. That's Naru for you... he loves challenges."

"...A challenge?" Sasuke asked, cocking his head.

"Yes." He said, looking back over his shoulder while plashing a peace sign, "And worst part is, he doesn't give up until it's solved."

(*)(*)(*)

For the foreseeable future, Sasuke was getting really pissed off. He hadn't changed that much in three days had he? Okay he had a _slight_ tan, he went water-skiing, he actually visited a theme park, he had junk food, he had sex, he had bed hair, but damn it, why was everyone looking at him like his personal apocalypse had happened?

"Haku?" he asked, "Have all the contestants for the equestrian tournament arrived?"

"Yes, Uchiha-san. The hotel has affirmed that all the competitors are safely in the city."

That was all right then; he opened a drawer and stopped. Damn it; the invitation to the Sakura festival was staring him in the face. He had totally forgotten about that. God knows he didn't want to go the stuffy, pretentious thing; but obligation was pounding in his head. He had to find a way to go to this thing and not despise every minute of the event. He needed a foil.

'_Naruto.' _

He did say he was going to call him later, didn't he. Picking up his cell he called the blond but was stopped by a call from the manager of the stables. He would have to put the question to the Uzumaki later.

"Nanda-san, what can I do for you?"

* * *

His coat found itself negligently thrown into a corner of the apartment's foyer. Neji didn't give a damn about the hideously expensive suede lined piece of material; his hands were full of silky red hair and his lips completely occupied. They had just returned from an aikido martial arts tournament upstate and the sexual tension between them that built up during the whole two hours' drive back was nearly was so palpable that even the fine hairs on the Hyuuga's skin were standing up erect.

The tension had started with the dismal Go match which led to a chess match, which he lost also. Neji, an intellectual at heart, had been completely entranced with the mind of the Sabaku; the way he could outmanoeuvre his every move. He was fascinated and completely aroused.

Two days of brain teasers, a dinner and a movie and here they were, in Gaara's hotel room. Neji was so aroused, he couldn't think straight.

Gaara was no better, his compact body pressed flushed against the Hyuuga'; his hand had already found themselves under the Hyuuga's shirt and was gripping the skin. How they had evolved from just interested to tentative partners to _this_; kissing the hell out of each other was inconceivable to Neji. He knew they were alike in so many ways but in merely two days of getting to know each other..._this_?

Neji broke away, panting, "Gaara...maybe we shouldn't do thi-"

The look that the redhead gave him made him shut up in an instant. The narrowed feline eyes were pooling with untamed lust; pupils had distended to nearly the rim of the jade green retinas. Neji swallowed. Slowly and deliberately Gaara just reached down, grabbed the hem of his black shirt and pulled it over his head.

"I don't top." He said,

Neji grabbed at the pale skin before him and breathed, "... I do not bottom."

* * *

"Oh come on." Naruto said blue eyes comically wide. "You mean to tell me you haven't never _**ever**_ seen 'Pirates of the Caribbean?"

"No." Sasuke said, idly, "Should I have?"

"That's it." the blond said sternly, grabbing the Uchiha and firmly placing him in the nest of blankets he had formed in front of his sixty foot HD TV. "You need to be re-educated."

"And you are the one to do it?" Sasuke asked, left eyebrow nearly at his hairline, watching the six foot odd blond fiddling with the DVD player. In front of him were stacks of chips, a huge bucket of popcorn, assorted bottles of beer and insane jumbo size packs of M&M's.

"Yes." Naruto said blithely, shifting the Uchiha to get behind him, then resting the raven on his chest, knees up and around him until Sasuke was safely ensconced in his warmth. Arms around Sasuke's waist, Naruto clicked the remote and the movie started. Still sceptical, Sasuke watched the film under hooded eyes. He didn't see anything worth fawning over until:

"Holy shit." He whispered eyes wide; "He's... _beautiful_."

"Who?" Naruto asked, secretly smirking. "Will?"

"Uh-uh no...Jack Sparrow." Sasuke said, tilting his head slightly to better observe the sculpted contours of the pirate's face; the kohl lined endless eyes, the mane of lions worthy dreadlocks and the pale, alabaster skin.

"That's Johnny Depp for you."

Sasuke paused, eyes tracking the fluid motions of the man, "...is he-"

"Alas, no." Naruto sighed forlornly, "I tell you, I wish he could be, but he's not. The fangirls would kill him."

"Fangirls?" Sasuke asked, still slightly in trance of the specimen of utter magnificence before him.

Naruto lowered his voice to a scared whisper, hand slipping under to the raven's sides and started tickling; "Rabid females that hunt men like us down and devour our souls. Beware S'uke... They _rule_ the _world_."

Sasuke doubled over laughing.

(*)(*)(*)

Utterly satisfied and decadently pleased, Sasuke leaned his head unto the blonds shoulder. Pleasure was still shivering through his person and he was on the verge of dropping asleep, when he remembered the Sakura festival.

"Naruto," he said, "I need to go to a certain function and I need someone to go with."

A pause, "...are you asking me out on a date, teme?" Naruto asked hands firmly wrapped around the trim Uchiha's waist. Sasuke was seriously suspecting that the blond had a tactile obsession with his body.

'_Typical'_ he thought rolling his eyes. "Would you go if I said 'yes'?"

'... I dunno, I might be busy..."

"Yeah right." he deadpanned.

A chuckle, "All right, I give... I'll go with you. What is it, anyways?"

"The annual Sakura festival, hosted by Anda corp; its next week at the Lotus Hotel Gardens."

"Hmm...fancy." Naruto said, entwining the ravens pale legs with his. "What's the dress code?"

"Historical," he answered "I wouldn't suppose you have any traditional wear, would you?"

A shuffle, "Actually I do."

"Hn." That was all he wanted to know.

Naruto placed a hand under Sasuke's chin and turned his face to him; "How's that thing with Neji?"

"Actually I have no idea." He replied truthfully, "...Maybe you should come with me?"

"...for what, backup?"

"I do not need someone else while I'm facing him." he said, "But it would help."

"Fine. I'll be there." The blond said nuzzling and kissing a collar bone, "Tomorrow right?"

"Yes."

"...and teme...don't stress out over it. I'll be there for you."

"...is this a love confession, baka?"

A beat. "...do you want it to be?"

(*)(*)(*)

"Oh fuck no." Naruto said staring shell-shocked at the other end of the café like he was staring into deaths door itself. He looked like a bomb just exploded in before him and rendered him totally paralyzed.

Sasuke glanced up, "What ba-" he stopped immediately, frozen in step, looking at the cinnamon haired man sitting elegantly beside a black clad redhead.

"Is that who I think it is?" he asked quietly, hoping with every fibre of his being it wasn't what he thought it was.

"Yes," the blond groaned, "...We're screwed."

* * *

**P.S: I'm evil aren't I? Cliffies are so despicable to the readers but to the author it's the best kept secret ever. Keep ya'll coming back for more.**

**You know what I love about being an authoress, It's the ability to create and have this universe where I can play this merciless dictatorial ruler, and decide the fate and destiny of all my characters, mess with them to an eternity and back and still have my own way...a.k.a God complex.**

**Love ya'll, peace.**

*****TBC*****

**Black Prodigy.**

**XD**

(*)(*)(*)


	12. Deja Vu

**Chapter 12**: Déjà vu.

**Pairing(s):** Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji (and sporadic mentions of Ita/Kisa)

**Rating**: M

**Disclaimer**: I... yeah I don't own it. (wish I could tho) It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto... (dying with envy)

**A/N**: Ex-boyfriend and ex-boyfriend drama... I'm not repentant. Deal with it...oh and there is some technical terms used in this chapter; I will define them at the end.

**A/N2: Note** to** 'BestPetal': **(I do speak some basic French)**Salut****! ****Ca va? J'ai heureuse et contente savoir tu. (I failed, didn't I? ****Mixed up the verb or something? ***worries***)**

**A/N3: Oh and 'Shane'...please, please, please, PLEASE tell me you're a fanboy...#crosses fingers#...if not...damn...oh well...but still-damn.**

**Beta**: Nope. I'm _still_ awesome like that –smirk-

* * *

"_Oh fuck no." Naruto said staring shell-shocked at the other end of the café like he was staring into deaths door itself. He looked like a bomb just exploded in before him and rendered him totally paralyzed._

_Sasuke glanced up, "What ba-" he stopped immediately, frozen in step, looking at the cinnamon haired man sitting elegantly beside a black clad redhead._

"_Is that who I think it is?" he asked quietly, hoping with every fibre of his being it wasn't what he thought it was._

"_Yes," the blond groaned, "...We're screwed."_

* * *

It was like a paranormal scene straight from the lowest entrails of the ex-files.

Painful, eye-gouging tortuous awkwardness wasn't even _close_ to the stifling tension level across the small wood table. Pairs of black, green, blue and grey eyes met in deafening silence. The silence so heavy it practically formed an invisible thundercloud that engulfed the four; it was so obvious that the other patrons avoided even walking by them and a strict five foot radius of abandoned air surrounded them.

Fifteen seconds ago (Naruto was painfully counting); they had walked in and Sasuke, (the nether world prince he was), after a second of slight hesitation, seemed totally unfazed by the atmosphere and sat down, spearing Neji a blank gaze. Naruto, on the other hand, mentally freaking out, took a seat beside him and capitulated to the silence.

The clock on the wall ticked like a bomb timer; each second sounding like an 8.0 earthquake.

Naruto broke first, "Aww damn." He muttered, starting to get up, "I need the hardest liquor in this place."

A hand was held up indicating him to stop; Neji spoke directly to his old boyfriend, "Sasuke."

"Neji." was returned with a level stare.

Naruto's blue eyes tripped from one to another, broad shoulders slumped in defeat and sighed like he was giving up the ghost, mumbled: "Gaara."

The redhead smirked, coffee cup almost at his lips, "Naruto."

"Okay, what the _hell_ is going on here?" the blond burst out scrubbing a hand through his hair, "This insane!"

"No," Gaara said calmly utterly unfazed; "It's not really. The probability of meeting this way i-"

Naruto glared, "Gaara, I know you are brilliant as shit but please do not confuse my almost liquefied brain with the quantified or quanumerified ratio of hooking up with our old-"

Neji cut in, "Whatever the odds are the point is moot now. We just have to deal with it...and 'quanumerified' is not a word."

The blonde's glare, if properly concentrated, Sasuke thought slightly amused, could have set the Hyuuga on fire.

"Fate, Neji?" Sasuke asked head titling to the left.

The Hyuuga took a sip of his latté, "Something like that, yes."

"Aaaargggh." Naruto groaned, "Just tell me how the hell it happened?"

"We met at-" Neji and Gaara started to say together, paused, glanced at each other and smirked.

"-The airport." Gaara finished.

Sasuke pinned Neji with this gaze, "Ahhh. So this was the _new developments_ that occurred, right?"

"Talk about me all you want," Neji said grey eyes scanning the blond, "I am insanely curious how _this_ happened."

"Blackmail." Sasuke said blankly, eyes flat.

"Yeah right," Naruto scoffed, leaning back in his chair and finally relaxing a bit, "You were a pain in the ass. I had to do something to get you to loosen up."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and muttered, "And, if I'm accurate, you accomplished that last night; so kudos, baka."

Moonstone eyes widened a fraction at the Freudian slip just as black eyes shot open at what _accidently_ slipped out of his mouth. Neji's smirk looked like a wolf over a kill; grey eyes flitting form one to the other he leaned across the table into Naruto's space, cinnamon tendrils from his high ponytail just brushing his collar, and asked pointedly: "Did he sink his teeth into your neck while he came?"

"_Neji!_" Sasuke blurted out scandalized, slapping a hand over his eyes.

Naruto just ignored the outburst, "As a matter of fact, he did." Naruto replied steadily, eyes lowered while staring straight into the Hyuuga's eyes, he tilted his head to the Sabaku sitting beside him while not breaking his gaze;

"Did he tap that point in the back of your neck to give you the most amazing orgasm in your life?"

A smirk was the answer.

A second; the blond sat back, eyes dancing like wildfire. "You know Hyuuga, I like you."

"As do I."

"Let's go get a drink, whatcha say, and leave the 'ladies' to chat behind our backs." he said, finally rising up. Neji reciprocated. The blond slapped a hand over the Hyuuga's back while walking to the bar.

A tick immediately formed in the Uchiha's temple. _'Ladies...fuck no.' _He was going to set the blond straight when this drifted over from the two:

"Ladies," the Hyuuga snorted, "tell that to the double set of teeth marks I have in my femoral artery."

Sasuke met Gaara's mortified eyes while his own dark orbs conveying the message; _'What the hell did we just create?"_

A red brow inched up, _'You tell me.'_

* * *

During the slightly stilted conversation Gaara, it turned out, was everything Sasuke expected Naruto to _not_ be even a bit attracted to. He was quiet, composed, analytical and observant; basically the perfect partner for Neji. How Gaara and the blond were together he had no idea...but then again, how he got together with the blond was another brain boggling mystery.

"Was he always spontaneous with you?" he directly asked the redhead.

Gaara's eyes flickered back to him and asked knowingly, "What tasks of Hercules did he ask you to endure?"

"Water-skiing, a theme park with an insane roller coaster, a football match, a club and a full diet of junk food." He replied matter-of-factly.

A small smile flitted over the tacticians' face, "Consider yourself lucky, Uchiha. I was forced to go mountain hiking, base jumping and swimming with sharks...and suffer through a Mama-Mia opera."

A snicker escaped from Sasuke, "W...what?"

"Yes." Gaara said, sipping his coffee. "He's like that."

Sasuke calmed down, "If you don't mind me asking; how did you two meet?"

"A long story; a lifetime ago." The jade-eyed man replied.

Sasuke just took it for what it was. No need to walk over broken glass. Jade eyes cut into his,

"And you...how did you _actually_ get together?"

"Like I said; blackmail."

"I really don't believe you." The redhead said his stare level, "Try again."

Seeing that the person in front of him wasn't one to be fooled the easy, he grudgingly admitted the truth.

"He challenged me to a spar; I lost; that's when he blackmailed me into seeing things from his point of view."

Gaara nodded soberly, "Did he spot your problems before or after that?"

A black eyebrow skyrocketed, "And you know this how?"

"The first time we met he took one look into my eyes and asked me, 'how was I dealing with my insomnia'," Gaara said, nodding over to where Neji and Naruto were still having an animated discussion; the blond was gesticulating madly eyes animated while Neji just stood completely composed with sly smile on his face. "Up to that point no one outside my family and my doctors knew I had that problem; he picked it up under three minutes. You can't fool him, trust me; I've tried."

"Then how do you..." he broke off.

"Put up with him?" the Sabaku asked, he leaned forward and pinned the raven under his feline eyes. "...Do you know the way to avoid being struck by lightning Uchiha?"

'_What the hell kind of off tangent question was that?'_ Sasuke thought, agile mind spinning in circles.

"Enlighten me."

A smirk. "One; avoid the storm altogether, or two, if already in it, ground yourself firmly."

At a loss Sasuke still couldn't ascertain what he was implying. Gaara picked upon his confusion and said. "You're already in his striking field, and unquestionably he's going to push you even more out of your comfort zone. Go with it, but for your peace of mind; just ignore him at times."

"A lot of experience, huh?" Sasuke deduced.

A dull murmur into the cup of Brazilian nut latte; "You have _no_ idea."

* * *

Kicking off his shoes at home Sasuke just slumped into his sofa. He was tired like a bitch.

It turned out that the reason Neji wanted to meet with him two days ago was to clarify his formal change and his formal announcement and resignation from the company. Things he could have just scheduled with any of his assistants, Sasuke thought; but then again Neji was the sly type...maybe he wanted an opportunity to show off his new boy toy. Apparently Gaara was just accompanying him because they were going to some summit or another...or maybe a museum. He didn't listen too closely what with all the monitoring of the blond he had to do.

It was on one of those moments, balancing between sorting out the details and apprehensively watching the blond play with something that was definitely a fire hazard, Neji, with an unholy smirk on his face jibbed; "Oh this is precious..._Sasuke_ _Uchiha_ is in _love_."

Not taking his eyes off the football player Sasuke shot back, "Fuck you too, Neji."

Sasuke sighed at the recent turns in his life. One, the meeting he wasn't even remotely prepared for with Neji took a portion of his soul and strangely healed another part; second, the fact that he was in a...something...with his client was still disturbing but slowly settling in, and third he was apparently the talk of the town...or his office building at least. He couldn't go anywhere in his building without being smirked, stared at or snickered at (secretly of course).

Noting the reactions of his laid back attire in the meeting; the last two days he had taken to de-professionalizing his wardrobe; he had summarily got rid of most of the ties he had, and taken to dress in a more casual attire; namely just shirts and maybe a tailored vest or two. He had always hated wearing jackets and ties so getting rid of them were no hassle at all. Fortunately, not a soul had said one word to him the remainder of the week dressed as he was. Maybe Kakashi had a point; maybe he was really changing... then again, maybe the old silver haired scarecrow was crazy.

The Sakura festival was in three days' time and Sasuke had already had his outfit ready. The traditional kimono was so hideously expensive it didn't come with a price tag. Black/blue silk overcoat and hakama(1) bone white pure Egyptian cotton inner nagajuban(2) all the way through. Sasuke had modified the traditional montsuki(3) kimono and ordered his made with one full midnight sleeve painstakingly stitched with the numerous small Uchiha fan emblem. A fire red obi belt held the suit together with the completion piece; a Meiji era katana, in mint condition worth a small fortune.

A small smile crossed his face; not a damn person could say Sasuke Uchiha didn't present.

Getting up he stripped and sank into his private sauna for a leisurely soak. The trailing heat and wafting steam created pseudo hypnosis of complete calm. His mind wandered what would happen if the blond was in the pool with him. Ten seconds after the thought sprung up he abandoned it. Way too much...feelings...were arising.

After he was clean and relaxed, dressed sloppily in a huge grey t-shirt and lounge pants; he booted up his laptop and immediately moved to stream the rest of the 'Pirates' movies. Sue him; he had a _slight_ (very, _**very**_ slight) thing for Jack Sparrow; the man was the embodiment of pure, beautiful entertainment. Some way along the drive home he had obtained a large container of pistachio and chocolate swirled ice-cream and he, grudgingly admitting that he had a raging sweet tooth dug, into the sweet hedonism. Again sue him; it was the blonde's fault anyways getting him hooked on sweets.

During the middle of '_The World's End'_ he drifted off.

(*)(*)(*) _dream sequence _(*)(*)(*)

_With a deft stroke through the agendas 'Student Council Meeting', Sasuke shucked off his blazer and flopped down on his dorm room bed._

_Kohona's Academy was the premier institution for the hideously rich children of the even more hideously rich parents. He gazed up to the calendar that marked out his schedule for the week. Under pressure to live up to Itachi's image (and secretly wanting to outdo it); eighteen year old Sasuke was pushing himself further than he thought he could manage: president of the Student's Council, captain of the Intellectual Society, the Debate team, the soccer team and the Aikido Martial Arts team; he was slowly but surely burning out, but he had to continue. How the hell Itachi had managed to do all that and more he had no idea._

_It did have some perks though: like his father's nod of approval every time he came home with a different accomplishment, his lectures beaming pride when he consistently maintained his 'A' average, the admiration from the cohesive female population; and the best of all; he could maintain his secret:_

_He flipped out his phone and dialled:_

"_Aburame."_

"_Shino," he purred, "Meet me at the shed behind the chemistry lab in an hour."_

_A pause. "Sasuke, I c-"_

"_And bring that new toy of yours." He cut in, just before he hung up. Yes; life was good. A quick shower before he settled down to outline the parameters for his next literature assignment; the glanced at the clock, grabbed his jacket and headed out the door._

_He had just entered and shrugged of his jacket when the tall, pale form of Aburame Shino entered the room._

"_About damn time." he hissed, grabbing the dark head to pull down to his when a hand on his chest stopped him._

"_What?" _

"_Sasuke... I can't do this anymore."_

_He was confused, "Do what?"_

"_This," Shino said, hazel eyes blank, "...when are you going to admit it to yourself and your family."_

_The simple statement cut the Uchiha to the core, but instead of processing the words he reacted and shoved Shino away from him._

"_Are you crazy?" he growled, "My father would kill me on the spot."_

"_So you would be happy living like this?" Shino asked, "In secret, just to please your father, which if I remember correctly you hate because of what he did to Itachi."_

"_I have to take up what Itachi left off," he hissed, "I can't be another disappointment to him."_

"_What about yourself, Uchiha?" Shino said, turning away to the door, just pausing to glance over his shoulder, "Are you going to disappoint yourself?"_

(*)(*)(*) dream sequence end (*)(*)(*)

Pale lids slowly fluttered open while the dark eyes behind them started blankly at the wall. All those painful years of trying to fool himself; to ignore his inner being and what was the result? All his youthful fears were realized in one sweep. Burning with frustration and anger, one month before, on the verge of graduation, sick and tired of the charade; he had blurted out what he was.

Fugaku had blankly looked at him for an undefinable moment of time before he just turned around and stiffly walked away. During the confession, Sasuke stood there, body tightly tensed, trembling hands grabbing at the mantle, because every bone in his body was suspecting the old patriarch to strike him down; instead the action of his father cut so many lesions into his soul that they ached for years...the beating he could have, and would rather have, dealt with.

Needless to say the fallout was massive; it was apparent to everyone who knew him. He went through his last month at the school in a daze.

Numbly he slowly got up, shut off the movie that was still running. Silently changed his clothes, shoved a set of clothes into a duffel bag and got into his car and drove. He was so cold and the only thing he could think of was the warmth and safety of the blonde's body.

Reaching the house he knocked at the door; spasmodically gripping the bag's strap.

The door opened and, after a moment, so did a pair of welcoming arms.

Eyes closed, body weary, Sasuke fell fully into the embrace.

* * *

**Vocab**: **'Hakama'** is the traditional Japanese men pants like clothing.

'**nagajuban' **is the 'under kimono'.

'**monstuki' **is the traditional kimono made with the family's coat of arms on the back, chest or shoulder.

(*)(*)(*)

**Oh...yeah...mushier than I envisioned...but that's how it goes. Love ya'll.**

**Peace, Love and Harmony.**

**Black Prodigy**

*****TBC*****


	13. Scandal

**Chapter 13**: Scandal

**Pairing(s):** Naru/Sasu and Gaa/Neji (and sporadic mentions of Ita/Kisa)

**Rating**: M

**Disclaimer**: I... yeah I don't own it. It's the sole property of Masashi Kishimoto...

**A/N: The theme song for this chapter is the total awesomess of "Half of My Heart" by John Mayer. And 'Ougley', there is some of Naruto's history in here; are you psychic or something? O_o**

**Beta**: Nope. I'm still awesome like that –smirk-

* * *

It was going through a cabinet where Naruto told him he stocked pain killers he found it. Under the lower shelf he unearthed an album. Pausing, he pulled out the worn leather bound book and dusted off the slight film of dust. The book was obviously loved; based on the worn treads of finger marks depressed in the mahogany cloth; but what was it doing under there, shoved into the back of a shelf, seemingly discarded?

He opened the cover and what greeted him was a perfectly pressed and old dried sunflower; under it was a scribbled note:_ 'Shine.'_

'_Interesting.'_ The raven thought, closing the cabinet door and wandered back into the room to examine it; completely forgetting about the painkillers.

The album wasn't _actually_ a regular album; instead it was a convoluted hybrid of diary, places, pictures and records. Random sheets of paper were shoved into it willy-nilly; ranging from old greying parchment paper to psychedelic colour inserts, framing pictures, carefully scripted notes, detailed sketches and wild scrabbles.

One page had a huge rain spotted picture of a busty, honey blond woman; almost obscured by thick riotous foliage, clad in a green vest crouching down to examine a grotesque purple flower.

'_Tsunade.' _He recognized and flipped the page.

Another page had scattered pictures of a huge white temple with massive arches and huge but graceful columns; in the centre was a statue of a bearded man surrounded by dolphins and a huge trident in his hand.

'_Poseidon.'_

The book was like a time stamp; revealing what the blond did and where he went; half completed sketches of people, pictures of exotic places and here and there a small souvenir, like a pressed leaf or a concert ticket.

On one full page there was a picture of Naruto, obviously taken by someone else, bare-chested riding a huge wave. Another one of him, dirty and sweating, shouldering a huge plank of wood in what looked like a barn-rising. And another with him grinning his face off, covered from head to toe in orange, pink, purple and green paint powder.

He smiled briefly and then he skipped the page, stopped dead and gasped.

Naruto was lying in a sterile bed, pale as a sheet; blond hair dull and lifeless; his head turned to the right, eyes closed tightly, brows knotted almost into one.

He shot up grasping the edges of the book. Sasuke knew that look; pain.

Why or what caused it he had no clue; but the Uzumaki looked like he was going through hell itself. Every facet of the blond face was burned into his mind; he winced at the deep looking scratches that ran from his hairline to his neck, lips bitten to bloody pulp and the huge dark spot of dried blood on his shoulder.

Sasuke's thin fingers slowly traced over the picture. Something cut through his chest. He heard the door open but didn't react until the football player sat silently beside him.

He didn't have to ask.

"Itachi told you I got into trouble right?" Naruto said, waiting for the corresponding nod. "Well, _that_ was the outcome of it."

"Tell me... what exactly took place for you to end up...like this." He couldn't put into words what he meant.

Naruto looked him straight in the eye, "I do not want to-"

"Just tell me." he grated out.

Another searching look, then; "Alright...remember I told you about my girlfriend Ino, well, she had a drug problem," he said blankly not sparing a word "she was hooked on cocaine; apparently she needed it to supply energy while staying thin."

He wrapped his arms around the raven and buried his head under a pale chin; "Remember how I couldn't differentiate myself from my lovers...well one day she asked me to go with her to a party thrown by her manager who incidentally was also her drug dealer."

Sasuke didn't have much experience with the thing call 'premonition' but he could pretty damn well guess where this was going.

"She left me at the bar because she said that she was the only one allowed to go see him. I was steadily getting drunk, not realizing she had disappeared for over two hours. When I finally realized she wasn't anywhere near me I went to search for her. I found her S'uke...she was in a back room, half unconscious, strapped down unto a chair, half naked with three men taking turns with her."

The raven, trying to block out the images, shut his eyes; he couldn't even imagine what Naruto saw.

"I went postal."

Sasuke opened his eyes and looked directly at him searching for brimming pain; instead he saw clear blue eyes, slightly sad but had a look of complete acceptance.

"They overpowered me and I blacked out. When I came to I was strapped face down on a table, with this thing on my back. It was burning the hell out of me... I don't exactly know what they used to burn me...all I know is that I ended up with second degree burns."

Black eyes searched cobalt ones inches away; over that past two day he had seen almost every inch of the blond but there were no sight scars anywhere. Naruto took his hand and slipped it around and under his shirt to the warm small of his back.

"Right there." He said not moving his hand, "I had multiple skin grafts, luckily I have some kind of weird immune system that regenerated my cells quickly, and as soon as they were healed I took off...to Greece."

He said, spinning the album back to the picture of the white temple and the subsequent pages after it. "Greece, Morocco, Paris, England, Russia, Australia... I hopped across the planet, not staying one place more than a month... I guess I was seeking some kind of stability..." he shrugged, "...or running from it."

Sasuke paused, pensive, letting the words sink in. He glanced up and asked; "...Then how did you meet Ga-"

"Gaara," he said a small smile flitting across his face, "By that time I was back in Japan and I was half way through my degree... I met little red while I was doing volunteer work at the local grocery store."

Sasuke lips quirked, "I'm pretty sure he would skin you alive if he heard you calling him 'little red'."

"He would too." A genuine smile now crossing the blonds face.

It was high time for a topic change.

The raven rose and turned, "The festival is in two days. Do you have your outfit?"

A sly smirk crossed Naruto's face, "Yes I do...and before you even think of it... I'm not gonna show you."

Black eyes narrowed, "...it's hideous isn't it?"

He suddenly found himself on the bed under the blonde's bulk being tickled to death for his answer.

(*)(*)(*)

Soft breeze and pale spring light filtered through the boughs of the brightly budded Sakura tree and flittered over Sasuke's pale skin and closed eyes.

He had to admit; the function was elegant, classy, dignified and so _damn_ _pretentious_. The gardens of the Lotus Hotel were infamous for putting on the most remarkable events in this half of the world; catering to the world best dignitaries, politicians and even presidents. It was a testament to how deep the pockets and the influence of the Anda Corp to have the hotels mangers even consider hosting the event.

The magnificent plants were blooming spectacularly under the benign sun; tall, graceful visions of carefully cultivated Sakura trees and emerald green grass transformed the garden into a small Eden. Small red brick bridges over shimmering koi ponds connected the manicured lawns leading to the eaves of the small sporadic gazebos where the ladies, garbed in hand spun silk kimonos and golden accessories that could feed a village for a year, were sitting and chatting together.

A titter of stifled laughter flitted over to him.

He snorted.

The crème of the crème of the highest caste in the majority of Japan were all gathered in one place; one of the three yearly functions that catered to the biggest, baddest, and the bitchiest of the countries moguls. Ostensibly to show corporate collaboration and finical unity but Sasuke knew that under the facade, that the real aim for gatherings like this was for all the hideously rich to show off which small island they had just conquered or which boulder sized diamond their spouse just acquired for them.

It was sickening but necessary.

He tilted his head up to the sky and allowed the brisk wind to play over his face and breathed deeply.

He had left the Naruto's house in the wee hours of the morning to get himself ready; trusting that the blond would do the same. Perched on slight hill rise watching the ebb and flows of the gathering, arms folded into the sleeves of his kimono top, he scanned again for a sight of the blond.

"Well, well. Look who we have here...little boy blue all by himself."

Smirking slightly Sasuke turned around carefully to face the seven foot hulking frame of Momoshi Zabuza; the nine times Olympic champion, Aikido specialist, part owner of Samehada Corp, and currently the partner of his assistant; Haku.

Sasuke took glance over the tall form clad head to toe in traditional Samurai armour; breast plates hammered from burnt copper, loose leggings made from dark cloth but had a slight shimmering hue to it and wound about his waist was a hand woven red and black kilt like cloth embedded with small squares of also beaten copper.

He looked he was pulled straight out of the _Bakumastu_ (1) era.

"Hello to you too, Momochi. Where is your-." He faltered.

Zabuza smirked, "Let me help you out there Uchiha...'slave', 'bonded', 'toy', 'personal fu-"

"Zabi honey," a voice like molten honey cut it, "...be _very_ careful with the next words the come out of your mouth." The _'or else'_ hung on the air like brimming thunder cloud.

The huge man just snorted and stepped back while Haku emerged from behind a column. Sasuke's eyebrow rose a hair fraction at the Yuki's attire; he was dressed in a Yukata style kimono; dyed light pink and printed with a trail of cherry blossoms climbing up from the hem to the waist line where it stopped just under the deep emerald green obi, tied strangely in the front in a beautiful rose style. His cinnamon hair was caught up in a high ponytail and wispy bangs fell gracefully to the collar of the Kimono.

"...Zabi?" Sasuke snorted.

The death glare the swordsman sent could under certain circumstances with certain people ignite fire, but Sasuke, and old hand at dealing with higher level of death-glares brushed it off like nothing.

"Uchiha-san," Haku said, "I've taken care of the donations to the found-"

"SAKURA!"

The raven's eyes widened as he spun around and paused.

"NARUTO, PUT, ME _**DOWN**_ THIS INSTANT!"

Naruto was spinning a summer's blue clad pinkette by the waist. Sasuke stopped to blink and wondered if he wasn't seeing things...but then again he should have suspected something like this.

Naruto, blond hair and blue eyed, was like a thunderbolt to everyone's sensitivities'; he had just basically annihilated every rule for traditional clothing. Traditionally men wore dark kimonos or sombre western style suits to a celebration like this, but Naruto, was clad in a full bright orange kimono, obi and all, but what captured his attention was the floor length shimmering white overcoat, the hem edged with dancing red and orange flames and stitched in the middle of the back was a huge orange nine-tailed fox baring deadly looking white fangs.

The moment seemed suspended. Then';

"My my, Uchiha... Never thought I'd see the day."

Carefully controlling his features Sasuke turned back around to face the Momochi with a blank look; "See what Momochi... other than the fact that Haku is too good for you?"

The swordsman's eyes narrowed a bit he didn't rise to the bait, "That you're in lo-"

Haku elbowed the man under the ribs while smiling pleasantly.

"Haku," he said, "Just update me later."

That said, with a perfect 180 turn, Sasuke walked away from the two; casually making his way over to the blonde who still had the pink haired reporter in the air.

"Dobe, I'll advise you to put her down before Haruno-san sues you for ruining her Christian Dior outfit."

"Nah." The football player said, but obeying accordingly, "Sakura-chan would never do th-"

"You wish." Sakura sniped, smoothing out the creases. "You can't get away with everything, you know."

"Actually, he can." a small voice interrupted. Sasuke turned around to see Hinata clad in a magnificent opal and navy kimono, with a dark obi patterned with ying-yang symbols. She moved over to Naruto with arms opened apparently to hug him but the blond with a mischievous light in his eyes bent down and kissed her on the lips, briefly but it was enough to rile up the man standing behind her.

"Hell no!" Kiba snarled, quickly extracting the Hyuuga princess from the embrace and immediately inserting himself between them, "Aren't you satisfied with ninety nine and a half percent of the female population fawning over you...you have to go after _my_ Hinata too?"

Naruto doubled over laughing. "Man relax... take a joke for once."

Kiba's wolf like eyes narrowed and growled; "No way... not with my fiancée."

Sakura's head shot up. Absently the Uchiha could practically see the words for the next headliners forming in her mind; something along the lines of "Princess and the Pauper."

He snorted. Her calculating eyes shot to him and he returned her probing look with a blank one. Her lips titled. Calmly he turned from her to the Uzumaki.

"I suspected it was an eyesore...but this level of-"

"Magnificence?" the blond cut in.

"...Hn...lets go with that instead." He smirked, "was unpredicted."

"I told you baby... I'm not one to be 'normal'...there _is_ a method to my madness."

Out periphery of his eye, Sasuke measured the level of astonishment that word just caused. Kiba and Hinata weren't surprised but Sakura's jaws nearly dropped to the floor. The headlines just switched from "Princess and the Pauper," to something he didn't even want to think about.

A tap on his shoulder. "The ceremony for the corporate heads is starting." Haku inserted carefully.

'_Damn...'_Sasuke swore glancing over to the blond,_ 'now I have to sit through two hours of corporate manoeuvring."_

Naruto looked over and with an accurate scan deduced the Uchiha's struggle. He placed a hand in the middle of the raven's back and dipped his head to whisper into a pale ear;

"Don't stress about it...it'll be over before you know it teme."

Turning to the doors that lead to the conference room he hooked a finger in the Uzumaki's collar and ran the digit down the length of his neck and smirked at the small shiver.

"Don't make me have to clean up any of your mess." He said.

A lupine smile crossed the blonde's face; "There is one mess I know you would love to cle-"

Sasuke jabbed him in the ribs and sauntered off.

(*)(*)(*)

_Forty eight..._

_Forty nine..._

_Fifty..._

Sasuke was painfully counting the seconds that would lead up to the half hour break from the meeting.

_Fifty three..._

_Fifty four..._

_Fifty five..._

Sweet Buddha...let it end...this was the most mind numbingly, tedious, obsequious meeting in his life. Everyone was pandering to the president Mau Santoisma and his daughter, Mizuki. Half of his mind was paying attention on the meeting but, predictably the other half of his mind started to stray...to the Uzumaki.

Okay, he admitted it...he cared for the blond bombshell. Aside and under his the façade he put up pretending to be an empty headed jock, there were a lot of hidden virtuous qualities to be considered.

Except the damn annoying one where he could get into his head and warp his reality.

_Sixty._

Mau stood up and officially adjourned the meeting till the break was over.

Uttering some kind of gratitude to the powers that be for the relief he headed to the bathroom. While washing his hands he heard a slight click and glanced up. The gold burnished mirror in the huge bathroom reflected the Naruto's image, leaning on the closed door.

Calmly he dried his hands and turned around, "Have you been stalking me?"

"Yes." he returned unashamed, pushing up from the door and closing in to the Uchiha with a certain look in his eyes: hunger.

"Oh no." Sasuke said, stepping back. "Not here."

"Try and stop me." The blond said, pushing the raven up to the wall and trapped him, both hands on each side of his body.

"Dob-_mmhhhh_."

Black eyes fluttered closed and pale hands twined into blond locks. He marshalled all the strength in him and broke away from the soul stealing kiss panting.

"We can't do t-_AH_!"

Hot lips latched onto his neck while large hands grabbed the raven and hoisted him up unto the counter.

"Na-"

"Shut up." He was ordered while deft fingers were working at his obi. Hands slipped inside.

A long husky moan escaped from the raven's chest.

"That's what I want to hear."

(*)(*)(*)

The bathroom door inched out; black eyes glanced around furtively. Three thing were imperative: one: avoid anyone who could identify him, two: conjure up a respectable excuse as to why he missed the rest of the meeting and three: how to get the cum stains out of his clothes.

A tan hand pulled him back into the room. In retrospect Naruto was in worse condition than he was; sure he had hickeys running the gamut from his ear to his chest, his previously carefully combed hair was a mess and his skin was flushed, but the blond was sporting red scratches, ripped shirt and bite marks along his cheek and neck...yes he had a biting fetish...so what?

He was pulled into a tight embrace while the blond nuzzled at his shoulder.

"You smell li-"

"You." The raven grated out.

A smirk and a tap to his rear, "Aren't you honoured?"

Sasuke shoved the blond off him and turned around, completely missing the snap of a camera.

"I'll give you a golden star after I get out of here."

(*)(*)(*)

The ringing phone was currently sluicing an annoyed grown out of the Uchiha.

"Hello?"

A shuffle, "Have you seen the newspapers?"

"Kakashi?"

"Yes Gaki...have you seen them?"

"No," he answered, "Why?"

Predictably the man hung up. Cursing the very day he met the man, Sasuke opened his pc and went to the Kohona's newspaper site.

It loaded.

"Oh shit..." he swore, eyes widening at the dishevelled picture of him leaning into the Uzumaki's arms. The headline read: **"Uchiha...Untamed?"**

"...I'm screwed."

(*)(*)(*)

Less than an hour later the phone wouldn't stop ringing. Completely pissed off about the amount of jibes he was receiving about the story he was dead sure this was another one of them.

Sasuke grabbed the small digit and growled, "What?"

"M...Mr. U...Uchiha." the voice was stuttering, Sasuke immediately recognised the voice of Hami, the head butler for the Uchiha estate.

"Hami." He said sitting up a foreboding energy descending on him like a wave. "What's wrong?"

"Your m...mother sir...she is in the hospital."

* * *

**-smirk-**

*****Black Prodigy*****

**(*)(*)(*)**

_**Vocab: **_The _**Bakumastu**_ era was the one ruled by the **Hitokiri** (assassins)...


End file.
